Zero Tolerance
by Yokoku21
Summary: Because I remember Simone Elkeles intended for Perfect Chemistry to originally be called 'Zero Tolerance' and I thought it was appropriate! Basically, this is Perfect Chemistry part 2- featuring Alex and Brit's daughter, Isa. Enjoy!
1. Introductions!

**Is it too sudden to do another fanfiction? Eh... ;)**

**Anyway, I really hope you like it, and enjoy this one, as much as you guys did the other one! Props to the infectious disease I have right now- akin to a fanfiction bug! :) I can't stop!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PC. ROA or CR!**

Isa

First day of school, and I'm already off to a crap start.

I groan as I scan the contents of my wardrobe trying to find my favourite 'lucky' skirt. I've worn it every beginning of the school year, and It's worked well so far.

"Has anyone seen my 'lucky' skirt!" I below down the stairs, feeling like a complete douche for not trying to find it yesterday. Usually I have my whole wardrobe planned out, on what I'm gonna wear the next day. But the 'back to school' party yesterday knackered me out, and now I'm friggin' paying for it in wardrobe crisis extraordinaire.

Like I said...craaaap!

I hear mom's voice call from all the way downstairs, "Is it not in your wardrobe, sweetie?"

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, mom. It totally is. I'm wearing my 'lucky' skirt right now, 'cause it was in my wardrobe and calling down to see if anyone's seen it for the hellovit."

"Alright, don't need to pull on the sarcasm on me, I get enough of that with your brothers." Mom says, reaching the landing and propelling herself upstairs. Her blonde hair- the hair I inherited, but in a darker shade- is loose and beautiful, messy, but still managing to look great, somehow. Her face is make-up free, but still smooth and creamy, her eyes a soft shade of Prussian and although she's wearing her baggy sweats and loose nightshirt, you can totally tell she's still got it _on. _

Can I also point out, that my mom is in fact, forty four?

I glance down at my own messy hair, a honey to her shiny golden, and my pyjamas, which are rucking up my calf. In short, I look like Mr. Potato head...but worse.

This makes me even grumpier.

"Is it in the wash?" Mom asks, biting her lip, as she scans my wardrobe, and then perches her hands on her hips.

"I dunno. This school year is gonna be awful without my 'lucky' skirt!" I say, sighing and falling back onto the mattress, letting my Medusa-like hair fall all over the bedspread. "I can feel it in my stomach."

"That's just the Indian food we had last night, baby. It'll be fine." Mom says, perching lithely on the bed. "You don't need a skirt to start off the school year well. Just the right attitude and a big smile on your face."

I mock-scowl at her.

Mom laughs. "Not quite like that..." Suddenly her arms snake out to tickle my stomach. I squeal and roll over, giggling as she mercilessly tickles my 'soft spot'.

"Aha! That's more like it!" Mom grins.

I can't help but agree. Nothing like a tickle session with your mom to get you started for senior year, the most important year of your _life! _

Especially if said mom is the best mom in the world.

* * *

"Yo dad-o. Wassup?" I say, the moment I'm downstairs, wearing my skinny jeans, and feeling a little better about it, thanks to mom.

I'm not surprised to see my dad standing at the hob wearing a lopsided chef's hat, we bought the last time we went to Disney World, with a picture of Mickey on it, and an intense expression on his face. His tongue is even jutting out of his mouth.

It's dad's thing, to make pancakes on every special occasion. Which, for us, is generally about twice a week.

"Pancakes." Dad says, the tats on his arms moving inconspicuously as he flips one in the air, and turns to grin at me. "For my _mija _on the first day of senior year. Oh yeah, check my moves."

Paco, who's sitting on the counter, one booted leg up, black hair tousled from the shower, is on his phone, probably texting his girlfriend of three years, Julianna. You'd think the two would back off each other after a couple and one years, but no. Their as loved up as always, always feeling each other up, at any opportunity.

Guess it runs in the Fuentes family, that constant lust and affection couples have. Hell, it's been twenty nine years with my parents and they still have the occasionally cop a feel, or god forbid, the extra long make-out sessions. I don't even want to think about what goes on behind the bedroom doors: my parents love each other. Great. The want to show their love for each other. Fab. Just pop in headphones and try not to think about the grossness of it all, is our motto.

"Paco." I say. "Texting your girl? While you're at it, tell her she needs to re do her wardrobe...it's terrible."

Paco sticks his tongue out at me. "She's beautiful how she is, Isa. Back off, with the tigeress pose and let Juli alone."

I push Paco's legs off my stool and sit down, pulling the cereal bowl and box of Count chocula towards me. At that moment, Jay decides to walk in, wearing tight black pants and a Green 'Hoosiers' top.

He's grinning like a chameleon.

"Mom! Mom! Mom!" Jay says, jumping up and down. "Guess what!"

Mom runs downstairs the moment she hears Jay, and charges into the kitchen, dressed in a black cotton dress, that hugs her curves and her hair combed to perfection. "What?"

"He asked me out! Your rules worked! Dorian. Asked. Me. Out!" Jay announces.

Mom squeals and hugs him. "I'm so happy for yah honey!"

I shake my head into the bowl and hide my grin. I'm happy for Jay too. He's been wanting to ask this guy, Dorian, whom he's had a crush on for three months, out over the whole course of time, and mom just about as much as him. She's always the one who deals with the relationships in the family. She's like the female version of Hitch. Love Guru extraordinaire.

I catch dad staring at mom and Jay up from the pancakes, and wink at him. He winks back, and I laugh, shaking my head at the bowl on the counter.

Yeah. Senior year is gonna be great. 'Lucky' skirt or not.

There's no reason to worry.


	2. English Lit

**Update!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own PC, ROA, CR**

Jared

"Yo, J, you comin'?" My friend Beck calls from the Volvo, passenger seat he's sitting in. His brother, Jonquil is sitting in the driver's seat, grinning at me, like a hyena. If hyena's have piercings and manic glints in their blue eyes.

"Nah, man," I say with an uneasy smile. "Got to drop Sandi off at her playgroup thing. Rachel made it an order." It's the truth; my big sister, Rachel's at her early morning Pilates class, and she woke me up specially at five o' fucking clock, this morning to tell me that if I didn't drop my two year old niece, Sandra to playgroup, this morning, that she'd skin me alive, _slowly._

That's Rachel, a big ol' bag of caramelised sugar. But I guess you could say the same for the rest of my long-winded family, from my mom to her loserish boyfriend Gabe. And then there's my little brother, Sam, who's half the time, a hyperactive monkey on crack, and the other half, fucking brooding over the hormonal imbalances that are his body. He's only fourteen, but Godammit if he'd ever give me a break from reminding me of it!

"Cool. See ya at school." Beck says, ushering his brother to drive.

I give him a lopsided grin, and they drive off, leaving me, leaning against the wall of our house, counting down the minutes until mom gets a move on and dresses Sandi up for school. By the time, she's down, had her breakfast, and ready to go, I'm five minutes late.

I swear, internally, and slip my niece into her booster seat, handing her some old, naked Barbie doll that I found in the trunk, and humouring her with it, making little cooing noises, I know will placate her.

"Uncle JARE!" Sandi giggles, whacking me on the head as I slide the seatbelt over her.

"Stay still, Sands. Uncle Jare is late for seniorness, and you need to get to playschool- ow!" She's hit me again, with the friggin' Barbie doll.

I sigh and slide out of the car, slipping into the front seat, hitting the accelerator, and praying to God's good grace, that I'll fucking make it to school on time, before my first period teacher does.

Yeah, right...

I let off a small snort and roll my eyes.

_Great_ way to start Senior year, Jared.

* * *

By the time I get to school, I'm fifteen minutes late. Swearing, I click my bag open and take out my schedule, from the Home office.

English Lit, first period. Fucking Mr. Bannerjee, hard-ass extraordinaire.

Swearing even louder, I run down the hallway, and push open the door, slowly.

"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Ban..." I breathe, slipping into the class and grimacing, apologetically. I look up from the door, and as I do, my apology slips into the air around me, and I'm left gaping.

Mrs._ Peterson_, the evil chem. teacher, is glaring down at me. And I'm fucking taller than her.

Shit. Since when does _she_ teach English?

"Ah, Jared Salisbury, my, aren't we a little late? You don't need to look at me like that, Mr. Salisbury, I'm not teaching the wrong class, just substituting for Mr. Bannerjee." She gives me a look that says, clearly what she would have liked to do, say, if this _was_ her class. "Take a seat."

I slide next to Beck, who's grinning at me, making kissy faces behind Peterson's back, for no apparent reason.

"Yes, okay, so where were we? Miss. Jeffson was about to tell us the apparent use of metaphors in the extract from _Jane Eyre _which, as I have been told, you should have read during the holidays, am I correct? Yes? Okay, take it away, Jenny."

I sigh and lean back in my chair, as Jenny Jeffson talks about metaphors and other crap like that, and Beck leans in to whisper, "So, man, I didn't get to hear it firsthand from you. Georgia Wilkins' been spreading some shit about how you two did the fuckin' deed on the fuckin' beach over the holiday. Is this true? Doth my ears beseech me?"

I raise an eyebrow and give him a cool look. "It's not the first time, man. What are you, a girl, gettin' all excited about me fuckin' her? Didn't know you were a voyeur."

Beck shakes his head, ignoring the last comment. "I know it's not your first time, but seriously? Georgia Wilkins? She's like the hottest bitch in town!"

I lean back on my chair and grin at him, slyly. He's right. "And she fucks like a screwdriver."

I hear an annoyed sound behind me, and Beck and I turn to face the recipient.

It's Isa Fuentes, glaring down at both of us, especially me.

"You guys are disgusting, you know that?" She says, snottily.

My grin gets wider at the sight of her. Looking at Isa, you wouldn't think she'd be such a fucking prude- I leave that kinda thing off to the geeky girls with pale skin, acne and coke bottled glasses.

Isa, on the other hand, has got it goin' on...and everyone knows it. With golden skin, the colour of milk and honey mixed together to create a sort of impasse, and a figure that's all curves, rounded, soft and something most of the guys in school wouldn't mind running their hands over...the straight guys.

The gay guys come looking to her for fashion tips.

Her eyes are a deep brown and her hair, a soft golden, which tumbles down her back and shoulders, down to her waist, like entrancing seaweed.

Half the guys in school claim she's an easy lay, ready to spread those friggin' long, smooth legs for just about anyone. The other half are too busy gawking at her breasts to say anything more than, 'hot damn'.

You could say I'm in between the two.

"Hey baby, don't be jealous. I'm sure I have room in my schedule for you." I say.

The girl sitting next to Isa- name unknown to me- grins and winks at me. Isa, herself looks sickened by the thought.

"No thanks. I have a boyfriend. Besides, I'd rather eat my own entrails than sleep with you." She hisses.

Beck guffaws. "Shame, man, shame." He looks up at Isa, rakishly.

"Don't even think about it!" She mutters to him, before craning her head, to look at the board ahead, pointedly ignoring us.

"You sure?" I say, capturing her brown eyed gaze, which is furious, and slightly embarrassed. Her cheeks are flushed pink. "I'm a real good fuck. Bet I could shove that stick up your fine ass out, loosen you up a little. You look like you could use some fun."

Isa gapes at me. "I would never-"

But she never gets to finish.

"Excuse me, the group over there? What's going on?"

Isa freezes, and I turn around to face an inquiring, Mrs. Peterson, who's staring at us, her hands at her hips, glasses perched on the end of her nose, and eyebrows raised so high, they almost disappear into her hairline.

"Nothing, Mrs. Peterson." Isa says. "Sorry."

Mrs. Peterson's eyebrows go up higher. "No, no, do share with the class."

Isa blushes harder. "It's really nothing. I-"

"What about you, Jared? Do you have something to say?" Mrs. Peterson asks, shaking her head.

"I was just telling Isa how she needs to loosen up, Mrs. Petes. Get a little crazy. Now are the times, you know?" I say.

Mrs. Peterson shakes her head. "No I don't know, Mr. Salisbury. Please pay attention." She pauses for a second, lips pursed. "Infact, since you like talking to Mis. Fuentes so much, you can go sit with her, over there."

My grin is still in place, but I can feel it take a bitter edge. No way am I sitting next to her. She's hot, but _man, _she fucking has claws the size of Mount. Mauna Kea.

Plus she's annoying as hell. _And_ a prude!

I sigh, knowing Mrs. Peterson will not be moved, grab my stuff, and shift to the desk. To my amusement, as I do, the class starts to whoop and clap. I grin and bow to the centre of the commotion- not surprisingly, it's Beck and the guys, grinning at me.

"Score, man!"

"Go get her, tiger!"

"Rawr!"

"Come on J-Man!"

I give them the subtle finger, when Mrs. Peterson is looking away, from me, telling everyone to quieten down and plonk myself down on the desk in the far corner.

Isa sit down next to me, looking as POD'd as shit on a stick.

"This is your fault." She hisses.

"Back atcha, darling." I say, rolling my eyes.

It's okay though, it's just for the lesson. When Mr. B returns, we'll sit back in our prospective places, and life will go on.

I should be so lucky...


	3. Conversations, revelations

**Wassap!**

**Update as you can see. I hope you enjoy it! I stayed up till ten o' clock for this one! So...:)**

**Thanks for the great reviews, and I really hope you like this fanfiction and where it's progressing. I really wouldn't mind tips and ideas on the plotline (which is there, but may be altered in the near future...ooooohhhhh moment, I know!) and writing references. I'm going for that sarcastic badboy with Jared, kinda like- DARE I SAY IT?- Jace from the MI series...so tell me? Is he alright? Is he stupid? Is he hot? Any funny quotes I can use for him?**

**ADDITIONS, IDEAS? Don't hesitate to review and tell me...I don't mind! **

**Sooo...thanks guys! :)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own PC, ROA, or CR...just some of the additional characters! ;)**

Isa

The rest of the school day passes fine: Chemistry with Mrs. Peterson (again!), Biology, History and Advanced Mathematics. Now, I'm hanging around after the school day has ended, waiting for the head of Maths, Mrs. Lekinson, to return from her meeting in the staff room, so that I can have a word with her on the new Maths club meeting. Which, incidentally, I've been the head of for three consecutive years.

Confession time?

I love Maths. It's a passion I can't share with anyone, except my parents, who are full-on supportive of me, and my brothers, who just laugh at me whenever I mention it. I sigh and check my watch, hoping any of my friends don't run into me, maybe taking a break from Pom practice or something. If they saw me here, waiting for the friggin' Maths teacher to haul her ass from the staff room to the hallway, I'd have a hell load of an explanation to give.

"C'Mon, Mrs. L. Take your freakin' time." I mutter.

It's not like I'm ashamed of the Maths club or anything- if anything I'm glad that there's something I'm good at that involves doing something logical and expressive with your mind, as opposed to jutting your ass around in boy's faces and pushing up your boobs every,time you see a guy worth getting to know.

That kinda thing doesn't work for me; that's not what High school should be about, should it?

I smile bitterly and shake my head. Apparently so, since half the girls in the school do it.

The reason I have to hide it though? Well, let's just say life is fucked up...complicated as hell, and if anyone ever found out I was worth more than a cheap fuck (as reputation has it) and a bag of air, then I'll be ruined.

I won't be the girls everyone wants to be. I'll be the freak.

I check my watch again, and swear, softly.

"You got a mouth on you there. I'd watch it if I were you." A deeply amused, familiar male voice has me jumping and spinning around on my heel.

"Jared." I sigh. "What do you want?"

Jared grins, looking like a bag of untouchable ice, with his cool, amused expression. His dark brown hair is tousled, and thick, looking like it needs to be run through, namely by my fingers, and his deep blue eyes are shining with light heartedness and a penchant for trouble.

Jared shrugs. When he does, I can't help but notice how defined his muscles look, outlines by a black tee and how his jeans cup his butt perfectly, when he resumes a comfortable position, against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. "I could ask you the same thing."

"You ran into me." I say, after swallowing down a wag of spit.

"_Technically _I didn't: running into a being implies that there was a physical contact between the two recipients, and sadly-"

"Jared, just go away." I interrupt, snappily, and flick my hair over my shoulder. "What is up with youall of a sudden, have you developed some bug in your brain that tells you that your mission in life is to piss me off? You weren't like this before."

Jared shrugs. "You weren't as hot before."

I roll my eyes. "I was always hot and you know it."

"Mmmm...not really. There was a period between 5th grade and Middle school, when you had a case of a funky growth on your forehead. There were people wagering whether it was fungus or some sort of alien species that decide to create a peaceful reside on the premise of your skull area." Jared says.

Okay, what the hell is this guys' problem? "It was acne. Get over yourself!" I hiss.

Jared's forehead crinkles, as if he's remembering it. "Uh...it was definitely not acne, I can remember that. Whatever it was, it was scary."

"Okay, thanks for that. Are we settled? You beat me, it wasn't acne! Wow, you must feel so good about yourself! Now go away!" I spit out my words, hoping to intimidate him. Then I add, "Is it not bad enough that I had to tolerate you in English today?"

Jared's grin turns crooked, completely unfazed by my anger. "Some girls have compared being in my presence akin to being in the midst of a Greek God. You're obviously crazy. You must not be right in the head. We need to get you checked out right away! Take your top off immediately, I'll have to check to see if your heart beat is normal..." He pauses to look at me meaningfully. "You know what they say; erratic heartbeat is the first sign of madness. And lopsided breasts, too, you know. So I'll have to give them a good squeeze each and observe them carefully...for the sake of your health."

I can't help the blush that creeps into my cheeks. _It's from anger, you're angry. Just ignore him. He's a flirt and annoying and stupid and a creep._

I turn away from him, silently, and check my watch again. Have I really been waiting for three minutes? It seems like much more. After this, I'll have to go home, and get the table ready for _Abuela,_ coming round for the evening from her house in Downtown Chicago.

And then, there's Grandma and Grandpa- from my mom's side, visiting as well. I bite my lip, trying not to think of how badly our last meeting with them went. Mom was in tears by the end of it, and I remember trying to comfort her, although I was only six.

I can't forget how upset my mom looked though, how torn up she was about it. Whatever Grandma and Grandpa said to her, it hurt her, and _that _hurt me. Later on, I cried about it to dad, sitting on his lap and letting loose on how I hated to see mom cry in my stilted, six-year old talk. I still remember what dad said to me:

"Mija, you shouldn't be ashamed about crying for your mom's expense. It shows you care for her. When you cry on behalf of someone you love, it's because you're a part of them, they're someone you _are _yourself. It defines how you are as a person. You feel. Which is more than I can say for some people."

I remember the anger behind those words. And I knew that dad wouldn't forgive Grandma and Grandpa for what they did. Not because of what they said to mom, or how they said it, but simply because they had the power to hurt her.

And my dad is way overprotective of mom. Way.

"Ahem. Hello, yeah, you there, in dreamland. Stop having wet fantasies about me naked and come to life again. Mrs. Lekinson just peeped her head through the door, told you to come into the room, and you just completely ignored her." Jared says, waving a hand in front of my face. "Just 'cause you're mad at me, doesn't mean you gotta take out that vengeful wrath on others!"

I give him the dirtiest look I know, flick my hair back over my shoulder and walk into the classroom without a word.

"Love yah too, baby." I hear Jared say, and then his low chuckle, that reverberates through me, making my pores tingle. I shiver and take a deep breath.

Then I walk into the classroom, turning into full mathematician mode.

It feels good to let go: it feels even better to get away from Jared.


	4. The Bet

**Update!**

**First of all I just want to say: YESSSSSS! INDIA WON IN CRICKET! YESSSSS! GO INDIANS! I LOVE MY COUNTRY! WE ARE SO SEXY!**

**Okay: rant over.**

**Now, this scene is definitely familiar to Perfect Chemistry, so if there are any doubts...yes it's based off it! :)**

**Thanks to the early reviewers...KelsNicole- keep writing, babe! ;)**

**There are some revealtions about Jared's character, and his problems ('cause, you know, you can't have a character without problems!). He may seem a lot like Dylan from my other fanfiction, if any of you have read it (if you haven't never mind. Ignore...ignore...;) but he isn't...he'll evolve into his own character, I promise. **

**So THANKYOU!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own PC, ROA or CR. Don't own CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS either (which is coming out in...2 DAYS!) or the Captain of the Indian Cricket team, although I wish I did, because I think he's hot.**

**I also don't own Mother's day. Or the fact that I lost my mother's card, so now I have to work extra hard to please her... :S**

**Wish me luck! AND HAVE AN AWESOME MOTHER'S DAY! **

**Read on...:)**

Jared

It's around ten o' clock by the time he arrives home. Once again, completely wasted.

Gabe Richardson: the prick for whom my mom is all cow eyes for, despite the obvious fact that he's a useless bastard with nothing particularly interesting going on for him, other than drinking, smoking, and snorting crack or inhaling fucking weed. I hate the guy; he's like every clichéd loser-boyfriend in every book or movie there is; the kind that always gets a run for his money at the end...

But this is fucking reality isn't it?

"Helen? Oh Helen! Where art thou, beautiful? Daddy's got a surprise for yah!" Gabe calls up to my mom.

I slam the pen down on my Advanced Calculus paper, that I've been working on, and push my desk chair back, standing up, ready to defend mom from whatever crap Gabe has up his sleeve. Before, it was a sock in the face, which ended up with me, mom or Sam ending up with a couple a bruises each.

Not any-fucking-more. I'm old enough to take a stand, if mom isn't. The truth is, sometimes I get more mad with her than Gabe- she's old enough and strong enough to defend herself, protect her sons and herself from danger. All it could have taken was one little phone call to the Police.

But no.

It's been ten years now, and she still hasn't had the guts to save herself and her kids. Thank God Rachel moved out in due time, otherwise her baby, Sandi would be in serious danger. When Gabe starts throwing his punches, he doesn't care who receives them...or how fatal they are.

She threatened to ring the Police- hell, all of us have, but mom won't allow it. She screams and cries, like crazy, every time we bring it up.

Hell, we let it go, finally. She's a thinking adult...but when Rachel offered for us to move into her house, with her husband, Steve, I declined, immediately. She's my mom which means I gotta take care of her no matter the consequences.

I sent Sam away with her, though. He doesn't deserve this, he's just a kid.

I walk up to the landing and stand at the top of the stairs, glaring down at Gabe. "Back off, Gabe. 'Stood?"

Gabe throws his head back and laughs like a maniac.

"Get lost." I say, with disgust.

"Get your mom!" Gabe says calmly. "I wanna talk to her."

I shake my head at him, trying not to let the rage take over. I can feel my heart thud a mile a minute, and my breath is coming out in short gasps. I'm so mad, I can barely think. "Fuck. Off." My teeth are gritted, and I can hear the poison laced in my words. Ten years of fury unleashed so suddenly, I don;t know where I am or who I am, anymore.

"Naah, man. I think I'm gonna stay put and fuck someone else instead. How about your mother, huh, little man?" Gabe says with a grin.

I walk down the stairs, completely calm on the outside, like a shell of lacquer.

"Just you fucking try." I growl, right up in his face. My voice trembles as I say this.

He just laughs in my face.

So then I punch him.

Someone screams from the top of the stairs.

It's mom, looking down at Gabe, hunched over in agony. Her blonde hair is in a disarray, her bright blue eyes- the ones I inherited- are wide and filled with tears.

"Mom-" I say, hesitating.

Gabe roars, suddenly, out of his little ball on the floor, and scoring a punch on the right side of my face. I fall to the floor, and black out. The last thing I see is mom running up to Gabe and running into his arms, tears falling down her face.

* * *

"Yo, J. You wanting some of _that_ baby looove?" My friend Ham says to me, edging me on with a sly grin on his face. I look up from my sandwich and sneak a glance at Camilla Haffengen.

She's looking right at me, peeking through her glossy black hair, her red lips pursed. The guy sitting next to her- her jock boyfriend, Freddy Herodale- is trying to catch her attention.

I turn away and sigh. "Yeah, man. Not now."

Beck gives me a look that says he has noticed the faint bruise on my cheek, and is probably gonna confront me about it, later on when we're alone. He knows a bit about Gabe, not enough, though. And best friend or not, this is something I can't tell him about...hell, I can't trust anyone enough to tell.

It's no big deal. I can handle it.

I'm not gonna make it a fucking sob-fest.

"She's hot." Ham insists, licking his finger and pushing the front part of his sandy brown hair back. As if it makes the difference- it's still crazy curly, like a chicken had a spaz attack in it, or something.

"Then go get her. Good luck getting past that boyfriend of hers though." Beck says.

"I can handle him, no big fucking deal." Ham says, cockily.

I roll my eyes.

"What about her?" Another dude, Jake, says, sitting himself down next to Beck and pointing at a cute red head several rows down to ours.

"Too freckly." I complain, like the jerk I am.

Ham grins. "Whaaat about...her?" He points behind me. Looks like it's become a fucking game to him- let's pick out girls and rate them; we got nothing better to do. I see Beck rolling his eyes, and know that he's thinking the same thing.

I turn around and spot Isa, sitting a couple of seats behind us.

I'm really not in the mood for this. Shrugging, I take my lunch tray and kick my seat back under the table, rolling my eyes. "Not really. Too plastic."

Unfortunately, Ham rises up with me- not taking the hint- and so does Beck. "Whaddayah mean, man? That chick's hotter than the fucking Sahara, in July... in the middle of a heat storm!"

"Then why don't you go chase her?" My voice is blunt. I'm not really focussing on anything today, half-heartedly listening to the teachers drone on in lessons. Not even Maths. I love Maths.

Ham rolls his eyes, his short strides, trying to keep up with my long ones. He's not the tallest guy in the garden, Ham. Poor dude. "You've got the guts, the looks _and_ the brains, man. You should."

"He would, if she didn't keep on getting on his last nerve every time he tried to talk to her." Beck added, his voice as dry as sandpaper, complimenting mine, perfectly. "She's a bit...snobby. Plus, she has a boyfriend."

Oh yeah...that Harry dude. The new guy, with the perfect grades, perfect life, perfect friends and perfect girlfriend. I swear, looking at the guy, that he isn't real. He's good looking, a jock and everyone likes him.

Except...well, me. I just think he's a bit of a prick.

Of Course he's Isa's boyfriend. Of Course.

"Harry Lamborghini Sweeney, with the teeny weenie? Naw, man. Whatever." Beck says, swinging his hand, and almost whacking some chick in the face, who shoots him a dirty look. He is, however, completely oblivious. "You could do it..." With a pause he adds in a quieter voice, "It'd make you feel better."

I stop and appraise his brown eyes. He's perfectly serious, and sincere. Not like the usual Beck, the careless, laid back, cool guy, with no care for the world, other than chicks and shiny cars.

It seems my best friend...is 3D after all.

With a grin I look back to see Isa walking out, too, with a couple of girls. They're laughing about something. Her blonde hair is catching in the Chicago wind, flying around her face, like a halo, and her hand reaches up to push it back.

Her smile is perfectly innocent. The smile of a girl who's beautiful and not quite knows it. The smile of a girl who's got everything- a family that love her, a comfortable school life and friends who care for her.

"I bet you one hundred bucks straight from my dad's bank account, if you can get into her pants." Ham says, suddenly, his smile slightly crazy.

I give him a look. "Five hundred."

Beck shoots me a glance, that I see out of the corner of my eye. I can sense his confusion, and maybe, worry?

Whatever.

Ham rolls his eyes. "Fine man. Deadline's in two months. If you can do this...and video it...then I'll pay up. If you can't...then you can do the paying up." His creeping smile is meant to threaten. Instead it just looks stupid.

"Fine, man." I say, eyebrow raised. "It's a deal."

I can't afford to lose money. My mom doesn't work, and the income that Gabe gets, is spent on crap. The reason we fucking have a house is because of me, Rachel, Steve (who's cool like that) and even Sam, although, at fourteen, he should be focussing on chilling and getting good grades, not getting a fucking job!

So, exactly why I'm gonna take this bet. For the money...nothing else. Not like I'm desperate, but five hundred dollars wouldn't hurt to pay off the mortgages for the month.

Ham's hand shoots out and I take it. "Deal." Says Ham, looking pleased.

He doesn't think I can do it?

I _know_ I can do it.

Beck sighs and plonks down on the bench beside us, putting his hands over his face. I grin down at him.

"Now I just need to get a video camera." I say.


	5. Trouble

**Sorry it took long to update, but I was kinda preoccupied with this one...CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS! WHOOO! IT WAS FANTASTIC! AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! I LOVED IT!**

**I recommend it to ANYONE! It was truly great! Bought it on Thursday and I've read it twice! A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!**

**Ahem. Anyway, I hope you like this update! Don't hesitate to tell me what you think of it! I'll be waiting...;)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own PC, ROA, or CR. Or Cassandra Clare's publisher. If I did, I'd possess them, like Lilith did to Jace and MAKE them publish it earlier with MY EVIL POWERS!**

**Damn, I need a hobby.**

Isa

The next day, it's English and once again Mr- Stupid- Bannerjee with his stupid stupidness isn't here. The moment I arrive into the classroom with my friend, Letisha, I spot Mrs. Peterson helping out Mark Somers, bending over his desk and directing him, using his pen to dictate.

Mark looks slightly terrified.

My boyfriend, Harry, who's sitting on one of the two- occupants desks, is talking to the people around him, and they're listening with rapture. He smiles when he sees me, and motions to the empty seat next to me, flicking his curly brown hair out of his eyes.

I walk towards the seat, but Mrs. Peterson stops me, by standing in front of me, and looking over my shoulder.

"Ah. Mr. Salisbury, Miss Fuentes. Can I trust you to sit quietly today?" She says, sternly, placing her hands on her hips, and looking down at me over her glasses.

Jared comes up behind me, so close, I can feel the heat of his body; fevered, and the musky scent of him- which is purely male, and the hint of aftershave. To my annoyance, the scent of him, makes my stomach do an excited flip...and I don't even like the guy.

"I dunno, Mrs. P. Why don't you ask the real mastermind behind our troublesome antics...? She's devious she is. Coaxing me with the temptation of her body and all..." Jared replies in his drawl. His breath brushes the back of my neck, sending shivers everywhere they can reach.

This shouldn't be allowed: this isn't fair. He has _no_ right to say innuendo's in front of other people in the class- people who could judge me, hell, who _are _judging me. He's ruining the careful walls I've built.

"That...isn't true." I say, lamely. "Mrs. Peterson, I promise we'll be fine. Please." I add with a hint of desperation in my voice.

"Yup. Promsies." Jared says. I curse him, inwardly. Why the hell is he doing this, does he _want _to get into trouble.

Mrs. Peterson eyes up, distrustfully. I look up at her, through clear eyes. _Please, Mrs. Peterson. Don't make me sit next to _him._ Anyone but him!_

"Well, I don't know." Mrs. Peterson says, finally. "Considering that we don't know when exactly Mr. Bannerjee will be back..." She sighs, hanging what she was going to say in the rest of her sentence in a mid-point. "Fine, go on then. Sit where you want."

I can't stop the smile that appears on my face as I sit down next to Harry, not looking behind me.

"What was that all about?" Is the first thingy boyfriend says to me. "'S that guy flirting with you or something?"

"Nothing." I say. "It's stupid. Anyway, where were you yesterday morning? I forgot to ask at lunch." I'm not curious as such; just desperate to change the topic.

Something flickers over Harry's face. "I was sick. It's cool, now, though. Just a cold."

I nod, absently, and then we're quiet for the next five minutes, as Mrs. Peterson doles out the various cover sheets and exercises. I look down at them, and sigh. _Jane Eyre, _again.

"So, you, uh, wanna meet up tonight?" Harry says, looking at me, through rich brown eyes, which are serious and sweet.

I nod. "Sure." It's been a pretty rocky start to the year, with all the homework and stuff. It would do me good, a little alone time with Harry.

Suddenly, something hits me on the head. It's a piece of paper.

I pull it out of my hair, and turn to see Jared and his retarded friend waving at me, like a bunch of idiots.

I rip the paper up, without even looking at what it said.

After five seconds, another paper finds its way into my hair.

Sighing hard, I take it out, and appraise it:

**How bout a date tonight? Consider it an apology for getting you into trouble, again?**

**-J**

What does he mean by 'again'?

"Ahem. Miss Fuentes, Mr. Salisbury. See me at the end of class- throwing notes is childish and frankly behaviour that I wouldn't accept from sixth graders, let alone Seniors." Mrs. Peterson suddenly barks, making me jump.

I open my mouth, like a fish, appalled. "B-But-"

"No buts, thank you, Miss. Fuentes. Your already on thin ice- get back to work."

I glance at Jared out of the corner of my eye, before turning back to my work, blushing furiously while at it, too.

He's watching me, a smirk playing on the corners of his mouth, his blue eyes, bright, even from my peripheral vision.

I. Hate. Him.

So much.

* * *

"This behaviour," Mrs. Peterson splutters, "Is the kind of behaviour I would accept from no child, let alone adults like you two! Now, I have been lenient, by giving you both a chance at redemption and you, in turn, have thrown it back in my face! I would like to see you two, outside my office after this lesson for detention, please."

I'm aware that I'm gaping like a fish, but I can't close my mouth.

"Mrs. Peterson-" I start.

"No, thank you, Miss. Fuentes, I have had enough of your excuses charm or no charm, you will not get out of this by flashing me those big brown eyes that your father had. It didn't work on me, twenty six years ago and It will not work on me, now." Mrs. Peterson says, shrewdly.

Jared whistles. "Twenty six years..." He mutters under his breath. "Harsh."

Mrs. Peterson gives him a glare that could freeze fire.

"Detention." She says firmly, sitting back down on her chair and handing us two red slips. "Now go. I'll see you two at the end of the day."

"But, Mrs. Peterson, I have..." I say before trailing off. How can I tell her I have an Advanced Maths club meeting after school with Jared standing there, gazing at me, coolly which his arms crosses over his chest.

Mrs. Peterson raises an eyebrow. "Yes?"

I shake my head, and hunch in on myself. There goes the only thing that makes school tolerable. "Nothing."

"Okay, then. Leave please, you two, before I change my detention into double detention. I have plenty of time to spare."

I leg it to the door, and Jared follows me out, into the hallway. As soon as I step out of the classroom, I break into a run. Of course, he stops me by grabbing my arm- he lives to make my life a misery, and I don't even know what I did to him.

"What?" I snap, savagely, when he twists me around to face him. "What, do you want? To get me into more trouble?"

Jared just looks down at me. It takes me a second to realise that his gaze is fixed on my lips.

"What were you doing yesterday after school?" he murmurs, so low, that it's almost a growl.

I swallow. "I have to get to Biology."

"Tell me, or you won't get to Biology." Jared, his gaze still fixed on my lips- so intense, it's unnerving- starts to push me back, against the lockers.

My back hits metal, and the locker lets out a protesting clang.

"It's none of your business what I do. Get lost." I hiss.

"I think you'll find that I want it to be my business." Jared says simply.

I shake my head slowly. "I have a boyfriend."

Jared just chuckles deeply.

The next thing I know, I'm being lifted up, against the foot of the lockers, my feet barely there on the edge, his body pressed against mine, so I can't fall. I'm eye level with him, and those brilliant blue eyes are unravelling me inside, like a tight ball of string letting loose.

"Jared!" I hiss. "People are staring!" It's true. A bunch of people have stopped on their way to their next lessons and are staring openly at Jared and me. It's unnerving.

I can hear the whispers.

"_Is that Isa Fuentes and Jared Salisbury...?"_

"_Thought she had a boyfriend."_

"_Damn. He's taken!"_

"_...Wish _my _body was pressed up against his..."_

"Jared!" I say, again. This time, feebly. "Let go!"

"Why are you so worried about what people think? Let go." Jared says, a grin flicking the corners of his mouth upwards. "I dare you."

"No. Let go. I'm getting late-"

Jared presses his lips against mine, so fiercely, my head presses against the lockers. His hands twine with mine, and he spreads them wide against the lockers beside me, so that my body is stretched up against his. His growl against my lips is predatory- sending more shivers down my spine.

I pull away. "What is your problem?"

Jared grins and lets me go. Cold rushes to the places which, seconds ago, were being heated up into oblivion. "Just wanted a taste before the real thing."

"I have a boyfriend, and you're not getting a taste of _anything_!"

Jared just kisses me again. I swipe at him, angrily, and he jumps out the way, his grin turning wicked, and his blue eyes sparkling and saturated with sin and something else that makes me press up against the lockers and breathe in deep.

Jared notices.

"I think otherwise."

And then he walks away.


	6. The Game

**Update! Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer- I don't own PC, ROA or CR!**

Jared

After sitting in a fucking congested room for an hour, with Isa watching me with eyes that could taser the skin of a diamond, and Mrs. Peterson, glaring at me over the tops of her fancy glasses, It's like a breath of fresh air once I'm, out and free.

I arrive at the Cafe DuNero, in Downtown Chicago, in due time, slipping on my waiters apron and trying not to let the boss notice that I'm fifteen minutes late.

"Dude. Why the hold up?" My friend, Cody asks me, holding a tray full of starters in one hand, and empty glasses in the other. He doesn't go to Fairfield, but a school in the City- one of those posh, all inclusive boarding lodges, that only the untmost of richest can attend. Fucking lucky bastard. The only reason he's working at the Cafe, is 'cause his parents want to teach him about independence and 'life'- having to earn money and all that shit.

I bet they don't know the half of it.

"Detention." I answer, wincing slightly, as the clip at the back of the apron, scratches my sore cheek as I slip it on. It hurts like a bitch, but I'm used to being on the receiving end of pain.

"Shame, man." Cody smirks. I reach over to try and sucker punch him, lightly, but he jumps out the way, almost dropping a platter of chicken wings. "See yah, missed! Suckaa!" Cody hollers, and saunters off to a table of five year olds and a mom and dad who look like they want to kill themselves with the sharp edge of the pizza cutter, Cody hands over to them.

I grin, bitterly, and pick up an order. It's time to work...I need money to buy the fucking camera. And to pay for the water bill, and electricity payment.

* * *

The next day of school, and I'm ready to put on the charm. Isa's sitting on the front of her car, laughing with her friends. Is the girl ever fucking alone?

"Yo, you ready, man?" Beck asks, clasping me on the shoulder. "You can back out."

I shake his hand off, with an annoyed growl. "Yeah, course. I can handle her."

"Keep your eyes on the prize. Those boobs are good enough to eat!" Gabe adds on the other side of me.

I glare at him. "Get your eyes off the girl I'm gonna fuck, or I'll kick you in the balls."

Gabe just grins. "Temper, temper."

"Whatcha' gonna do, man?" Beck asks. "You can't just walk over there and demand to fuck her brains. She's not that kinda girl. You know that!"

I nod. I have it planned out. "Jealousy works better than immediate attention." I say, simply. Beck blinks.

"Huh?" Gabe says, looking confused.

I just walk towards the group of girls, putting on my 'cool' face. The sun is shining hard, despite the fact that it's nearing the Fall, not Summer. One by one, all the girls stop talking, and I can hear them start to whisper in dulcet tones. All of them look nervous/excited, except for Isa, who's narrowed her eyes to slits; she's pointedly looking away from me.

"Hey ladies." I say, leaning against the sports car opposite Isa's. "Whatcha talking about? It's not me, is it?"

Of course, It's Isa who responds. "Not everything revolves around _you_, Jared. What do you want anyway?"

I raise an eyebrow at her, and slip off the sunglasses that I've been wearing. "Nothing from you, baby. You've made it clear, already."

The girls standing around Isa start to giggle and catcall. I grin taking it all in; loving every minute of watching Isa turn a shade of pink, that makes her honey gold skin turn richer.

I have the urge to lean in and kiss that blush. Watch it deepen. Run my fingers over her cheekbones...

What the hell?

I shake off the stupid urge and come back to reality just in time to see Isa staring at me oddly, and the other girls preening around me, like a pack of hungry wolves, rubbing themselves against a potential mate.

"Actually, I came to ask..." I pause and look around. Then I stop to see a pretty blonde girl smiling up at me. "You!" I say, grinning triumphantly down at her. "If you wanted to come to the movies with me tonight...to watch Scream 4?"

The blonde girls nods, enthusiastically. "Sure, totally. I'd love to Jared!"

I grin, knowing, it would totally ruin the moment if I asked her, her name. I just nod and say, "Pick you up after school, then."

The girl nods harder, her eyes shining. "Totally!"

Isa looks like she's swallowed something bitter. Good.

I give her a wink and walk away.

_Game- fucking-ON_.


	7. That awkward talk

**Udate!**

**Things I have learnt over the weekend: 1) Duke of Ediburgh award- Bronze practice. First time ever? HARD! TIRING! PAINFUL! Did I mention TIRING? So, sorry if this chapter is, well, BAD. I have just come back and I can't keep my eyes open. I don't know why I'm even writing...I guess it just feels off if I don't! 2) THANKYOU TO KELSNICOLE92 FOR AGREEING TO BE MYY BETA-ER EVEN THOUGH I AM A COMPLETE PAIN AND KEEP ASKING HER HOW THE HELL I DO IT! I still don't know exactly what to do, but she's been really funny, patient and kind PMing me and generally really cool to talk to! Thanks for agreeing to be my BETA BUDDY! (I am going to be an annoying BETA BUDDY!) 3) I forgotten what my thrid point was.**

**Enjoy. I hope you like it. Before I fall dead on the keybord plkease enjoiuy and don't judge me by my slurrrrrred spelling, I am veeeery sleepyu! (And a bit high from fresh air, and excersise.) Also, anyone who has a little sister will know how annoying it is when you're trying to write and you're little sis keeps asking you if you want to go on A BIKE RIDE WITH HER EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE PLAINLY DYING AND WRITING YOUR FF FRANTICALLY, SO YOU CAN GO TO SLEEP IN THE BATH AND NOT THINK ABOUT POISON IVY, HARD SLEEPING BAGS AND THE COLD BRITISH WEATHER PLUS HAYFEVER AND DUST MITES.**

**Sorry about that. You didn't need to know that. I would go back and delete whaat I wrote, but I really cann't be bothered to. I'msorry! Ignore this message and scroll down before I ruin my reputation as a mature authore. author. whatever.**

**Wull go take a HOT BATH NOW! Whomever invented the Bath- I love you. Alot.**

**Enjoy! (If you aren't scarred from the experience)**

**Disclaimer: YOU KNOW WHAT I DON'T OWN, BECAUSE IF I DID OWN THIS I WOULDN'T BE ON FANFICTION, I'D BE SIMONE ELKELES, ROLLING IN MONEY AND NOT HAVING TO REVISE FOR MY GCSE'S WHEN IT'S NICE AND SUNNY OUT! I ALSO WOULD NOT BE AN ANGLO-INDIAN GIRL WHO WANTS TO SLEEP AND DOESN'T KNOW WHY SHE'S WRITING, I WOULD BE HAPPY BECAUSE I AM A NYT BESTSELLING AUTHOR!**

Isa

As I come home, Mrs. Lekinson's words are still playing around in my mind. Math club was cool today, because I got to stand up in front of everyone and introduce the club. Then we got down to Trigonometry.

"_You know what, Isabel Fuentes? You _may _just have talent swimming around in that Barbie blonde head of yours."_

Coming from Mrs. Lekinson, those words are like finding the Holy Grail under a pile of rags. Completely unexpected, and totally wonderful.

"Hey baby. How was school?" Mom says, sitting on the couch clutching the remote, watching reruns of _Judge Judy._

"Cool." I say, simply, my face totally calm.

Mom gives me a look that says 'I can see right through you'. "What happened?"

"Nothing!" I announce smiling serenely, falling back onto the couch next to her. "Nothing at all."

Mom grins. "Was is a boy?"

I immediately lose my smile. Mom bites her lip.

"Oooh. It wasn't a boy? It was an anti-boy, then?" She asks, quietly. How do I tell her, he's more like an Anti-Christ type?

"It was maths club. Mrs. Lekinson said I had talent." I sigh, images of Jared running through my mind, his cocky smile that makes me want to slap it off his face. His stupid, smart-aleck lines and his arrogance. Oh, that arrogance. If it were stuck to him, like glue, I'd so find a way to wrench it off him, painfully, like wax.

Mom sighs. "You should be happy, baby! I ruined it for you! It is a boy, right?" She gives me a cheeky smile, which takes off ten years off how she old she normally looks, making her look, around twenty. "Tell me_...everything_!"

How can I not smile at that? Mom always makes me laugh.

"I don't wanna hear!" Dad calls loudly, slipping from the kitchen to the living room and perching down next to me. "How were your _studies?" _He gives mom a meaningful look.

Mom just rolls her eyes. "She's fine with her studies, I want to hear about this boy! What's his name?"

Dad grins wickedly. "Yeah, okay. Tell me his name, where he lives and how susceptible he is to bruises, concussions and other bodily injuries- OW!" Mom whacks him on the head.

"Now you have a bodily injury." She says, smugly. Then she looks straight at me again, and I realise she's serious about me telling her.

I groan. "His name's Jared Salisbury." I intervene when mom opens her mouth to speak. "But, I don't like him."

"Your mom didn't like me at the beginnin'." Dad says darkly. "Now we're married with three kids." He pauses and exchanges a look with mom that's half amused, half loved up.

"That is true." Mom says, using her annoying I-AM-THE-SCIENTIST voice. "Statistics show that half of all relationships start from a mutual disregard and animosity in a couple."

Dad blinks. "Really?"

Mom smiles. "Nah, I made that up. But it happens in the movies!"

I swear sometimes mom acts younger than me. It's so easy to forget that she's one of the top scientists in the field, along with dad, and they both discovered that cure for Alzheimer's, saving millions of lives worth saving.

Dad shakes his head at her, but he's smiling.

"Well, the movies are wrong." I say, primly. "Very wrong. And the books!" I add, as mom opens her mouth again. "_Everything _is wrong. Besides, I bet you didn't have that bad a beginning relationship. Not as bad as me and Jared. It won't happen. Plus, I got a boyfriend, so it's moot point." I finish, clamping my mouth shut, before I say anything else.

Dad nods thoughtfully. "Oh yeah, that Harry kid. His dad's one of 'em lawyers that live in the City in one of those expensive flats we were lookin' at, Brit, remember?"

Mom nods. "Yeah. I do actually." She turns to me. "We were going to buy one of those, but we decided to stay here. Too many sweet memories. Besides," She shudders, "those houses had plaque walls. I hate plaque."

"Do you know which house they stay in, honey?" Dad asks me, innocently. There's an amused gleam in his dark eyes. Mom gives him a look.

"Don't tell him, Isa, or else he'll hunt the poor boy down with a baseball bat." Mom stands up, stretching. "Well since there's _nothing_ at all going on between the two of two, I'm going to take a hot bath. Work was hard today. Isa, hon, please could you put the oven on 392? The hot pots are already inside."

Dad rises. "I'll join you in the bath,_ mamacita._" He grins.

I groan. "Gross! Did I need to know that?"

Dad shrugs. "Fuentes men don't like to hide their sexual bearings."

"EW, EW, EW! YOU SAID SEXUAL!" I yell, covering my ears. "Now I know how you guys feel when I tell you 'bout my love life!"

Mom laughs, and they both leave the room, together, dad with an arm wrapped around mom; mom whispering stuff that I don't want to _imagine_ in his ear.

Sighing, I sit back on the sofa and close my eyes trying to forget about Jared, and the image of mom and dad doing in the tub. I shudder and try to focus on something else. _Anything_ else.

"Hey sista!" I open my eyes, to see Jay grinning at me from the doorway, his hair slicked back from his face and his blue eyes shining. He's wearing leather boots, black leather pants and a leather jacket.

"I see you're back from your dress rehearsal, Danny?" I say.

Jay recently got the part of Danny Zuko, in the Goodman Theatre's production of _Grease. _It's pretty mainstream, and we're all excited for him, because tons of recruits come round to sniff for talent. Jay is the best actor in the family, which is pretty big, from mom's family here and in New Jersey, to Colorado with Uncle Carlos, Aunt Kiara, my cousin Celia and her boyfriend Dylan (who lives with her!) and then Uncle Luis, aunt Nikki just ten minutes away, _Abula, _in the City, all the way to Mexico.

Everyone is excited for Jay.

"Yeah." Jay flops down on the sofa next to me, looking wan, but happy. "Director says I got a knack for showbiz. It's epic."

"That's great!" I say, genuinely happy for him. Most people don't give my big brother as much slack as they do to my other brother, Paco, just because he's gay. Especially mom's parents who live not far away enough here in Fairfield. The moment they heard about Jay's sexuality they freaked big time. Mom got mad, and started yelling at them, dad joined in and it got pretty heated.

This was about a year ago. They don't talk to each other anymore.

"Thanks, sis." Jay says, ruffling my hair. His and Paco's hair is black, like dad's. Mine is very much blonde like mom's. "Congratz on the maths club thing. Saw you on the way to the theatre an hour ago, with Mrs. Lekinson. Did that old biatch say anything to you?"

"Nah, she was complimenting me, actually." I smile at Jay's shocked expression. "Really. Not lying."

"Doth my ears deceive me?" Jay asks, his eyes wide. I laugh and stand up.

"Nope. I really _am_ that good."

Jay rolls his eyes. "Don't roll around in pride. It'll sully you."

I grin and start to walk away, when Jay stops me. "Wait, Isa. Did mom and dad tell you the news."

I turn around, puzzled. "No. What?"

Jay bites his lip. "Nothing." His eyes are hooded for a moment, before filling through with amusement. "Nothing, just go."

I turn away, just because I'm too tired to argue or ask him what the hell he's talking about. Knowing Jay, it's probably a prank or something, to make me stew over.

"See yah for dinner." I say, with a shrug and trail upstairs.


	8. DATE gone wrong

**Update! I hope you like it! :)**

**Thanks to all the awesome reviewers: SOGOOD, Momo16, ilovealex (who is very observant! ;)), thisismyworld...I appreciate it! ALOT!**

**Also, of course, thanks to KelsNicole for the beta-ing and the chats about Kate Middleton's dress...I love your story, babe. So update more!**

**I'd also like to recommend a couple of stories on fanfiction, by an author named MandyDoll. Both her fanfictions are about Vampires- which means she made the plotline up- and they are reeeeallly good! Like AMAZING! So if you liked my Sage and Cadwell one check out Mandydoll's!**

**Okay, done with the promoting! I hope you enjoy the storyline! Don't hesitate to reviewwwww! XD**

**Disclaimer: Don't own PC, ROA or CR- I also don't own the Royal Wedding (which was cool, right?)**

**(Did anyone else notice Prince William's BALDPATCH? or the fact that Harry is GINGER? HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED THESE IMPORTANT FACTS, BEFORE MY FRIEND POINTED THEM OUT?)**

Jared

The girl's name is Miranda, and she's a good friend of Isa's.

"So, Miranda." I say, leading my date to the best table in Cafe DuNero. "What would you like to delight in that pretty mouth of yours?"

Miranda giggles, and the high pitched sound makes me wince, slightly. "Salad is cool. Maybe some fries?"

I nod at her, and wink. "Great, great."

Cody walks up towards us, putting on a hilarious poker face, and gestures at me, expletively whenever Miranda happens to turn around or look away. I ignore him.

I order the lasagne- a delicacy that makes me want to kiss my fingers- and hand the menus back to Cody.

"So," I say, once he's gone. "How's life?"

Miranda turns around again and then turns back, quickly, her eyes slightly alarmed. "What?"

"Uh, what's wrong?" I ask, leaning over my chair slightly to see where she's looking. Once I spot it- specifically, two people, walking through the door, making the overhead bell tinkle delicately- I allow myself to grin.

Isa and her teeny-weenie boyfriend have arrived. On time.

Cody raises an eyebrow at me, once I catch his eye, from over the counter. _Is this the girl? _He mouths.

I nod.

Cody grazes Isa down, speculatively, and I can tell by the way his eyes are slowly darkening that he likes what he sees.

Too bad he can't have her.

I watch as Teeny removes Isa's stylish trench coat off her shoulders, like he's some Prince courting his Lady, and they both sit down opposite each other. Unfortunately, Isa's back is facing my way, so that I'm rewarded with a glance of the back of her ivory sheath dress, and trail of long blonde hair, falling down the back of the chair, enticingly.

_Damn, but she's fine._

"Jared? Are you listening to me?" I hear Miranda say at the back of my mind. Startled, I look at my date, who's glaring at me through narrowed eyes. I smooth my face into an easy grin. "What, babe?"

"I _said, _what kind of sports do you do." She scans me, appreciatively. I guess I can't blame her. It's not being arrogant, if you know that that you're good-looking and accept it. Modesty is for fucking prudes.

"Track team. I can run." I say, automatically. "Fast."

Miranda nods, and bites her lip. "How fast?"

I lean in on the table and whisper, "Very. I have a lot of stamina. Maybe I'll show you how much...when we're alone?"

Miranda giggles again. The sound of her laugh is irritating. "Suggestive? I like that."

"Your food." Cody says. All of a sudden, he's looming over us, a grin on his face. We lean away, on the table, and Cody puts our plates in front of us.

I dig into my pasta, and Miranda delicately chews on her lettuce. "So," She says, thoughtfully. "When exactly are you gonna show me your stamina...?"

"Tonight." I say, absolutely, jabbing my fork into the pasta and bringing it to her lips. "This is good. You should try it."

Miranda squirms away. "Uh, I really can't. Carbs...and the cheese has fat on it!"

I raise an eyebrow. "Just imagine it to be something...else. You'll like it then." She doesn't miss the suggestive leer I send her.

Unlike some girls I know, she's not put off by the statement. The amused curl of her lips, tells me as much, and her mouth opens...

"Miranda?"

I smile, looking down at the table, as Miranda chews on the pasta and looks up. I know who it is.

"Oh, Isa. Hey!" Miranda says brightly.

A smile plays on my lips as I slowly shred my napkin into two. Then I glance up at Isa through my eyelashes, innocently. "To what do we owe this honour, Isabel?"

Isa smiles, but I can see that she's gritting her teeth behind those full, pink lips. "Just came to say hi." She says, brightly. "Harry's over there." She points back to where I know she's sitting.

Miranda laughs. "I'll go say hi to him!" She gets up and toddles over to where Teeny is sitting on his own.

Isa stares after her, satisfied. Then she takes my seat.

"That's taken." I say dryly, gesturing to where she's sitting.

"So am I." Isa points out. "So stop already."

I raise my hands, my eyes meeting her deep blue ones. "Sorry. I didn't realise I was doing anything wrong."

"We both know what you're doing."

"I think..." I say, stretching the word out, "That _someone _has a terribly high opinion of themselves." I smile at her.

"Would that person be _you_ by any chance?" Isa says, high and breathy, fluttering her eyelashes.

"You've wounded me, Isabel. I am wounded." I mock clutch my heart.

Isa crosses her arms in front of her chest. "Miranda's coming." She hisses. Sure enough my date is rising out of her seat, smiling down at Teeny, and flicking her blonde hair back over her shoulder. "You better not take advantage of her, tonight, or else."

"Definitely not." I say, coldly. "For you, my scary bitch-monster, have scared me off doing anything sexual for the next ten years. I am now incompetent, you've frozen my dick off. I hope your happy."

Miranda walks over towards us, just as Isa flicks her hair back, causing it to shimmer in the light. "Of Course I am!" She says, brightly, rising up off the chair. "You guys have a good date!"

And then she sends me a look, behind Miranda's back, that's so chilling, I have to grin. Isa turns around, abruptly, giving me a generous view of those killer curves and that perfect dress which hugs her body like a second skin, and that fine ass.

And walks away.

I smirk down at my pasta. Step-one of the plan? It's fucking set, alright. The bitch is agitated...almost jealous? I can see it in the way she keeps flicking us nervous glances over her shoulder.

This is going well...

And I didn't even plan it to.


	9. The walk home

**Update! (but you know that ;)**

**Hope you enjoy the story! Once again, thanks to the awesome reviews! XD**

**Disclaimer: Don't own PC, ROA, or CR!**

Isa

I'm walking home from Maths club, sneaking out of the school, and out through the back entrance, so that the Cheer squad can't catch sight of me. About half of them are good friends of mine, and would be curious as to why the hell I'm at school after hours.

God forbid they find out about Maths club. I'll be ruined.

The strap on my bag, comes off, and I pull it back up, the wind chasing the hot sweatiness I feel away- living on the outskirts of the Windy City has its benefits.

I turn on the street corner, look up from revising calculations in my head, and then stop short at the sight in front of me.

Of course...great. Just fucking great.

Jared Salisbury of all people, and his friends. Blocking the street, leaning against both walls confining it, drinking bottles of Beer, and laughing. Jared himself looks cool despite the heat his sunglasses blocking those deep blue eyes.

But I can feel them when he delicately fixes his gaze on me, standing at the end of the street, gaping at him. The tilt of his mouth proves my conclusions that I'm nothing to him but some disgusting, albeit fascinating organism he found in his food.

I raise my chin and stride towards the group of guys, all turning to stare openly at me now. They've noticed.

Inconspicuously, I bend slightly to push my short skirt back in check, and feel heat flood into my cheeks. Paco always did say that my short skirts would come around eventually to bite me in the ass.

Jared notices. What doesn't he miss? His eyebrow quirks slightly, and he takes off his sunglasses, his blue eyes sending shivers to zing down my spine. His look is all appreciative: predatory and hot.

I strut past them, my sandals clicking imperiously against the ground. I even skip sideways so that I'm on the sidewalk, out of their way.

A hand snakes out to stop me. I glare up at Jared, who does nothing to stop the guy who's taken hold of me.

"Hey, look, it's Isa Fuentes, the hottest thing in town. Whatcha doin' walking home here, baby? Don'tcha got a fancy sports car or something to take you to your white lily-rose mansion?" The boy says, his leer dark. He pulls me to his chest and I squirm to get away.

"Better yet, some undeserving dude carrying her home on his back." Someone else pitches in.

"Let go of me." I say calmly, trying to push myself off the guy.

Suddenly, I'm wrenched out of his grip and pushed against the wall. Great, It's _Let's grab at the first chick that comes by _day.

"I've got plans for you, baby." A different guy says, his face pressed against mine, his leg in between my legs.

I sigh, rolling my eyes. Little do these guys know, I've done Karate- all the way up to my black belt. While these guys probably sat around in alleyways, smoking pot and harassing innocents, I was working my ass off to try to learn to defend myself.

I hear Jared in the background say, "Let go of her, man."

And some other guy, add: "Get the hell off her, pedo!"

The guy holding me to the wall, just flips them off. That's when I've had enough of this crap.

I strike his neck first, wrenching him off me and to the ground. The next thing I know, Jared is beside me, kicking the guy in the shin, his move almost simultaneous to mine, making him roll over on himself at the double impact.

I stare at Jared, stunned. "I could have handled him myself."

Jared shrugs. "Whatever. I may be the scum of the earth, but I'm not gonna tolerate that kinda harassment." He flicks a lazy gaze towards the guy on the floor. "Fuck you, Greg."

Greg just groans.

As some guys help him up and walk off supporting him, Greg limping and swearing, muttering about, 'that bitch's moves,' and 'his so called friend', everyone seems to move away as well, realising that the mood has detoriated, so that, only me and Jared remain, ironically.

"I'll drop you home." Jared says, finally.

"Chivalrous of you." I return. "Is it the heat or are you just experiencing an out of character mode?"

Jared grins. "Ha ha. You are so funny. I am overwhelmed by laughter at your wit and sardonic sense of humour. Do sprinkle upon me some of your glorious sensibility, so that I, the simpleton, can learn something from your sparkling humour."

"Fuck you, Salisbury."

"I'd like that."

I just stare at him. Then I say, "Why do you hang out with guys like him, anyway?" Because I'm curious.

Jared sighs. "I'm a misunderstood bystander. Honest. Truly, my inner pain is shielded by my outer wit and defence mechanism. Only the right woman for me can get behind that hard wall in order for me to reveal my true vulnerability and sensitivity."

I roll my eyes. This guy gets by on sarcasm and ironic remarks, so be it. But it is damn annoying.

"I'm serious." Jared stops at a crossroads and I realise that unconsciously, we've been walking. "When no one's looking, I like to go flower collecting, and picking strawberries. Sometimes I make myself cry because I'm so deep. I also, like writing poetry and chocolate."

I squint against the afternoon sun. "You done, smartass?"

"No."

"Well you better be, because," I point behind me to my house. "I'm home."

Jared smiles, and looks down at me. His hair looks golden against the sun. "That was quick."

I nod.

"Why didn't you tell me you could defend yourself so well?" Jared says, suddenly.

I shield my eyes and look up at me. "You gonna stay away from me, now? Keep the grater _away _from the premise of my nerves now that you know what I can do to you?"

Jared smirks. "Hardly. I like my women tough, capable and as close to Tomb Raider as possible." He steps closer, and leans in. I let him. "We could go out some time and raid tombs together."

I shake my head, finding it weird that he truly wasn't annoying me anymore. "I already have a boyfriend."

Jared raises an eyebrow and steps so close, my personal space is filled with him, his clean, deodorant smell, that does things to the pit of my stomach, and he's so close, that I can see right into the swirling dark blue of his eyes- see something there that makes me want to touch him in all the right ways.

I lean back, away from him.

"Your boyfriend." Jared whispers, softly. His lips skim my cheek as he speaks, and I swallow.

"Yes." I say. "Go away." As opposed to his calm, cool and steady voice, my own is trembling, and completely uncontrolled.

"Has your boyfriend ever made you blush like you're doing now?" Jared says. It's unsuspected, I can't feel myself blushing. Jared fingers my cheek. "You're truly beautiful when you blush. Do you know that? Beautiful."

His eyes skim my face. The next thing I know his lips are pressed against mine and my resolve has crumbled into a pile of stupid ashes on the floor. My arms, involuntarily slip around his neck, I stand on my tiptoes and give it back to him, with everything I have.

Jared moans into my mouth, and every sense of reality disappears at the feel of his mouth moving on mine. I reach up to cup his jaw, feel it working as his tongue probes my lips. I part them and let our tongues slide together.

Shivers- despite the heat- slide down my spine, making me clutch Jared harder, harder, and the feeling that I'm about to fall, is resolved when his own around steady me, caging my waist.

"I have to go." I whisper, finally, after what seems ages.

Jared, clutches my hair and pushes my head back, his mouth running down my neck, over my pulse, his tongue skimming the hollow of my throat, over and over, making me moan at the feeling. Harry never did this. Never made me feel so good.

I shake my head at the thought of my boyfriend, and pull away, pushing at Jared, so that we're both wrenched apart.

"Don't do that." I say, my voice a whisper.

Jared's eyes are dark and hard. "You seemed to like..._that." _

I swallow down whatever is rising in my throat and shake my head. "Go home. I'll see you at school."

I turn around and walk up the steps, trying not to replay the kiss, the feeling of his mouth on mine, at my throat and against my cheek. Trying not to think of Harry, poor sweet Harry, or the fact that Jared never felt squat for me before now.

Trying not to think of why on earth he'd suddenly want me, someone who refused him, when he could have any willing girl in the school.

Trying not to think at all.


	10. Crap situations

**Okay, I'll be the first to say, that this chapter really isn't good. I don't know what's wrong, honestly! Just so much homework and stress! Plus, my awesome beta, KelsNicole isn't feeling too good, and without her, I'm kinda moot!**

**I really hope you don't judge me on this chapter! I'm really sorry about the quality. But I guess rubbish is better than nothing...i wouldn't be able to cope with nothing! :)**

Jared

I watch her leave.

Correction: I watch her finely toned ass leave. And what an ass it is. I could write songs about that ass.

Someone taps me on the shoulder, and I turn around, quickly. A guy and a girl look back at me, and I immediately recognise the dude. He's Paco Fuentes, the Legend. I remember being a freshman and watching Paco from afar, always being hounded by tons of people, always rumoured to be with so and so, the cheerleader, and what have you.

Isa's big brother.

"Hey, man." I say shrugging. "Jared Salisbury."

Paco's grin widens. "I know who you are. This is my girlfriend, Juli."

Julianna smiles at me. She doesn't look like the kind of girl Paco was rumoured to be with, but I faintly remember her face, too. A nice, serene girl. The one that always holds the door for Grandma, or says 'please' and 'thank you' at every opportunity she gets.

"Hey sexy mama." I say. The raises her eyebrows.

Paco rolls his eyes. "You better not be hitting on my girl, _pendejo. _Any reason you're...uh, here?"

"I just came to drop your sister off, is that a problem?"

Paco just shakes his head. "Sure. Well you better not be trying anything, understand?"

I just look at him innocently. Juli says, "Like screwing her around." She smiles, and suddenly looks a bit scary. "She's like a sister to me."

I nod slowly. "Sure." And then I swallow down something which rises in my throat, because suddenly I feel kinda sick.

And then I hear the voices in the back garden.

Paco raises an eyebrow at Juli. "Feisty? I like that." Juli just smiles wider.

The voices get louder. I notice when Paco hears them and starts to frown. "That sounds like... my parents."

And then he hears something and his eyes widen. Juli touches his arm. "Paco? Baby?"

Paco walks over to the source of the sound, and Juli follows him. I shrug and follow them, too, unsure of what to do, but knowing that I don't want to go home to face asshole Gabe and my mom.

I peek through the fence with Juli and Paco, and hear Isa's teary voice. "What do you mean aunt Shelley's going to die?"

And then there's who I presume to be her mother's voice, gentle, but filled with utter loss. Worse than Isa, and worse than anything I've ever heard. I feel Paco freeze, and realise that I'm intruding on something that I have no right to intrude on.

"Isa..." He mom says.

There's another sob and then footsteps, coming closer. I look up to see Isa facing me, her blue eyes filled with tears. Tears that I have a sudden urge to wipe away.

"You." Isa says, quietly."

I sigh. "You alright?"

Isa just walks away, briskly, not looking back, her blonde head bowed.

And I'm left with a frozen Paco, his girlfriend, and his mom, who's slumped against the ground, her head buried in her hands.


	11. Cornering

**Hi guys! Hope you enjoy the update! I'll be posting a special chappie tomorrow because it's my birthday and I'm turning 15...so...well, I don't really know why it'll be special or what my birthday has to do with it. I guess I'm a certifiable show-off! :)**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

Isa

School the next day is completely crap. I'm not even kidding, Even maths class sucked. I couldn't concentrate and Mrs. Lekinson kept picking on me, to answer various questions.

Now, it's lunch time and I'm sitting there, playing with my poorly boiled vegetables on the plate, and staring as the carrot oozes orange juice, glumly.

"Isa? You okay?" My friend, Laura asks, waving her hand under my nose and looking at me, concerned over the tops of her glasses.

"I'm fine." I tell her. They don't know I have a disabled aunt. I know, it sounds bad, but for some reason I never told them, even my closest friends out of the bunch. I guess it didn't feel right to tell them.

Laura just nods, but oddly, as if she doesn't believe me but doesn't want to push. She turns back to her own plate, continuing to gossip with the rest of the people on our table.

"Isa." A male voice says above me, suddenly. I jump and look up, recognising that voice.

It's Harry.

And suddenly, it's clear what I need.

"Babe, we have senior committee in five..." He cuts off, when I rise from my chair, obviously seeing something in my eyes. "You, ah, okay?"

"Let's go..." I say, grabbing his collar and dragging him after me. Harry makes a confused sound, but doesn't protest, as I drag him to the locker. Suddenly all eyes are on up, and I don't even care, for once.

"Go where? Isa?" Harry asks, as I drag him, bodily to the hallway, and pushing him up against the wall. His pretty brown eyes widen, as I lean in close and lick him on the nose.

"It's been a long time..." I whisper against his lips. Harry chuckles, his surprise melting into compliance. I don't remember the last time he's objected to a full on make-out session. He _never_ runs out of stamina.

I kiss him, and he kisses me back, and then, our positions are switched, so suddenly, I can feel the cold lockers against my skin and I remember that Harry always likes being in control. That should piss me off, but I'm numb; I can't feel anything except blankness, and a soft hum at the back of my mind, nagging me to stop.

I don't.

Tears fall down my cheeks, and it's like a movie screen or a projector being played in my mind as scenes of aunt Shelley flip through my mind. I remember mom telling me, she's seriously sick, been sick for the past week and didn't tell me, remember when I was eight and we played checkers on her screen.

She always won, but at the end, she would give me an ice-cream as a treat and we would eat it together, flipping through Vogue or whatever.

I remember when my first ever boyfriend, Mike Baxter, dumped me for Susan the slut, and I cried on her shoulder. She would run her hands down my hair and tell me in her computer voice, that, _'everything is going to be okay.'_

Harry kisses his way down my neck, and I unwind my hands around him, pressing them against the lockers, and slumping my head back.

This is a pathetic excuse for taking advantage of my boyfriend. And it's making me feel worse, as well as guilty.

Geesh, I'm such a bitch.

"Ahem." A very familiar voice. I grit my teeth and push Harry away.

Jared Salisbury comes into view, his dark eyebrows raised, delicately, and his blue eyes serious.

"Could we refrain from the pornography right in the middle of the hallway, please? It's gross, the way you two are licking at each other like the last lollypop in the fucking van." He says.

"Fuck off, Salisbury." Harry grunts.

"Touchy." Jared says. "You still sore, 'cause I took your girl in Junior High? Or because I creamed you in the Charity race last year?"

Harry's brows furrow, his face turning red. I put a soothing hand on his shoulder, to stop him from saying anything. My boyfriend's not the most...literate of people. Jared would eat him alive with his harsh, sarcastic words.

"Yo J-man! Where'd you go, brother? I was looking for you, man!" A boy with long black hair, slacks and a tattoo of a naked girl down his bicep, comes jumping from the door into the hallway, slapping Jared on the back.

"Hold on, dude, I'm coming." Jared says.

The boy nods, wisely. "See you in a few, man. I gotsa snort it up the snort-hole." He guffaws like her made a hilarious joke and bounces back into the room he came from.

I glare at Jared in disgust. "Nice friend you have there."

"Nice boyfriend you have there."

Harry opens his mouth to speak, again, but I cut him off. "Why don't you just put your tail between your legs, Salisbury, and go back to where you came from?"

"No." Jared says, setting his jaw.

Harry opens his mouth again, but I elbow him. He grunts. I step forwards towards Jared, and raise my eyebrows. "What's wrong? Can't _stand_ to see me getting lucky with my boyfriend, when no one wants to be with you?"

Jared's look turns pained. "How many times have I told you, baby, that _many _girls want to be with me? I am a Lily of the female persuasion. I toil not, nor do I remain celibate for over a long period of time."

I roll my eyes at him. "That's smart, real smart. What do you do, sit at home and think of different ways to throw me?"

Jared's eyes turn grave. "No, I sit at home and think of different ways to fuck you."

Harry grunts, and pushes his way past me. "You and me, man. Outside."

I sigh. "He doesn't mean it, Harry. He's just a poor loser druggie with druggie friends."

Jared shrugs. "People can't help where they're born. But they can help how they turn out." He casts a look at me, his eyes raking me up and down like the paws of a cat.

I cross my arms, and Jared's eyes follow, directly hitting my chest. My breasts.

"I turned out good." I say, softly.

"Yes. Yes you have." He pauses and looks up into my eyes. "I have to talk to you, in private."

I roll my eyes. "No."

Jared blinks and clutches his heart. "You wound me."

Harry speaks up, reminding me of his presence, again. "She doesn't want to go with you, so fuck off, Salisbury." He grabs my arms and propels me towards the cafeteria door.

I meet eyes with Jared as Harry pulls me out. He's staring right at me, those blue eyes mercilessly hard. The scary thing?

Before I just used to see the hardness of those eyes. Now I see beneath them, into something more.


	12. New leaf

**Update! Hope you enjoy! XD**

Jared

"Come to my party, It'll be a blast!"

I take the invitation that Ellie Kiteman hands me, give her a grin and keep walking. It's weird how many people have already caught onto the party and are discussing dates, food and clothes. And why shouldn't they? It's not like _they_ have a bad home life, something to keep them up at night.

I try not to envy them, but sometimes it makes me sick looking at how happy they are in their little bubbles. So fragile, someone could come along and pop them, and then they'd know what it fucking takes to be in the real world.

"Dude, you got the invite!" Ham comes running up to me, clapping me on the back. "Who yah takin'? That hot chick, Isa, right? Tell me you haven't forgotten the bet, man?"

I roll my eyes. " 'Course I haven't forgotten the fucking bet. But I'm not taking Isa. She hates my guts for now."

"For now," Ham agrees, slyly. I grin at him, and try not to think about Isa, namely, her face when she found out about her aunt.

Yesterday, after her little make-out session with Teenie, I saw something I didn't want to see in her. Not because it was unpleasant, but because suddenly, I realized that just screwing her and pushing her so she fell down on her ass, would break a heart that I saw had been broken already. I can't get the fucking image of her face when she found out about her aunt.

I don't know who her aunt is, or what her condition is, but I know that Isa loves her family.

And now I'm wondering what it would be like to be on the receiving end of that love, not the scorn or the wary, distrustful look she gets nowadays around me. She looks fragile, like she's about to break.

"Yeah," I say weakly, at Ham's suggestive little nudge at my shoulder. "I'll work on that. See you 'round, dude." I walk away, down the hallway, ignoring the stares, for God-knows-what apparent reason for rumor there is now about me. Probably, I killed someone or something. For some reason, this isn't turning off the appreciative looks from the girls; I should keep that in mind. Need a date? Just off someone, and the ladies will be flocking you like bees to honey.

I stop when I realize she's there, I've caught sight of her. She's sitting alone, for once, at the wooden table outside, nursing a cardboard coffee cup.

Sad, forlorn, hunched in on herself. So different from how I perceived her to be, before. Arrogant, so sure of herself. Beautifully perfect, the girl every female envied, every boy coveted.

Isa's blonde hair flies in the breeze. Her eyes are hooded, still a deep brown, just darker with mood. I plaster a smile on my lips and swagger towards her. She sees me, her eyes flickering with something, before turning dark again.

"So..." I say sitting down opposite her. Isa rolls her eyes, and looks away.

"Go away, please," she says, quietly.

"This aunt of yours," I continue, but stop talking when I see the sudden response in her eyes. She's lifts them to link onto mine, and suddenly, I can feels sparks so intense it's a wonder that my hair's not on end.

Her voice is low, dangerously low when she says, "Fuck you, Jared. Fuck you. Go on then, tell everyone, if you think you'll survive the week if you do." She stops. "You live to see me hurt, don't you? You enjoy it, you sicko."

I'm taken aback at those words, and she can see it. Her own face turns drawn as she looks away.

"Isabel," I whisper. It's the first time I've said her full name, and it feels good, for some reason in my mouth. Right. Is this part of the game I'm playing or not? Even, I can't fucking tell. "Isa. Look at me."

"Why should I?" she whispers back. "You're nothing to me."

"Sometimes you need to let your heart out to someone who means nothing to you about someone who means something to you in order for you to feel better about that someone who means something to you, and that person who means nothing to you could one day mean something to you."

Isa looks up then, and there's a curve to her pink lips, that is enticing and something that feels good to watch. It's the first time she's smiled in days. "_No entiendo." _Spanish sounds good on her lips, provocative. I feel myself leaning closer, like I do with girls, but this time, I'm not controlling the zing of live, burning feeling in my body.

I laugh, and she does too.

But I'm imagining her in other places, doing other things with me. Things that would be scandalous to say in public, things that involve her, on the bottom, me on the top, and Spanish words screamed in the throes of passion.

Aaaand...queue hard on. Hey ol' buddy, nice to see you again, rise and shine.

Isa grins at me, which makes my hard on more of a hard on, if possible, and runs a hand through her hair. "You're charming when you want to be."

"You wound me, baby. I'm _always _charming!" And now I was playing the game again. I guess if someone looked closely, they'd be able to tell the difference from when I was putting it on and when I wasn't. But not easily. If there was one thing (besides advanced mathematics and fighting and sex) that I could count on, it was my games. I could play them like a professional and get away with a fucking spanking when I wanted to.

And fuck it, I wanted to.

"I don't think so,"says Isa.

"I'll prove it to you," I say, giving her a flash of my hundred watt grin. She doesn't pass out. Weird.

"No, you won't."

"I'll camp on your doorstep tonight, all jaded, with my boom box," I say.

Isa just laughs. "How about, you come inside, instead?" She stops to appraise me. "Tonight, my cousin, Celia and her family are coming over for dinner. I can't believe I'm saying this but..."

"I can. We _are _partners for English."

Isa makes a face. "We are."

"Plus," I add. "We have chemistry."

Isa rolls her eyes at that one. "You'd have chemistry with a squirrel, If you put your mind to it. Not me, though. Plus, I have a boyfriend, and just because you can be halfway nice, doesn't mean I like you."

"I can prove it to you, I'm better than your boyfriend," I say. I'm all serious, but Isa laughs as if it were a joke, and I can see the ice between us smashing into a hundred shards.

"Sure. Why not? You know the way anyway," says Isa, softly. Her eyes are expressive again, her face unlined. She's beautiful, and it keeps hitting me like a freight train every time I look at her.

I sense a movement over her shoulder and see Ham grinning and waving at me. He mouths, _score_ at me.

I look away and shake the uneasy feeling off me, like a dog shaking off water. "It's a date," is all I say to the girl looking up at me.

"No it isn't," she says, getting up. "But whatever. To being bad in English. She'll probably make us sit together again as 'punishment'."

I look up at her. "I wouldn't mind that," I say, popping my bag up over my shoulder. "It would require more out of school meetings, especially since we always have a partnered essay to do." I wink at her, and turn to walk away.

"See yah in English and then tonight," I call, turning around to see Isa standing, bemusedly, as if not knowing what hit her.

I smile and turn away. I have that effect on girls.

Jared, 1. Isa, 0.


	13. Dinner at the Fuentes's

**Hey, update! Hope you enjoy this chapter. I won't be updating for a week after, 'cause I'm going to Pariiiis! But, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and yeah, it's a bit fillerish, but...:)**

Isa

"Hurry up and get that Casserole into the oven!" Mom says, ushering me towards the oven, with her oven mitts. "You know aunt Shelley loves your dad's casserole."

For the past few days, it seems like mom is in denial. Not once have I seen her shed a tear over aunt Shelley's life expectancy, which the doctor has sprung upon us, is gonna be in two to three weeks. It's like she doesn't want to admit it, or maybe she just doesn't want to show up her sadness.

But I can see it in the depths of her eyes, breaking down as if they represent her heart. Mom's never been one to hold back on us, and it scares me that she's started now.

I can tell it scares dad, too, because he can't stop watching her, from his station near the hob, where he's making the tacos; nothing unusual, but there's a worry in his eyes, and he's biting his lip, as if she'll spontaneously combust or implode inside any second.

Jay's sitting on the counter, mixing the batter for the cake. "Yeah, and I'm sure Isa's little friend's gonna love the casserole just as much." He's just commenting, but there's a spark in his eyes, covering up his own heartbreak. Jay tends to cover his wounds with jokes and banters.

"Same for you, and your new beau, big bro." I retaliate. "Dorian- the guy from drama with the dreamy eyes and muscles- Rider. I like it."

Paco bursts into the room, looking wary, and very tired. His black hair is sticking up everywhere and his blue eyes, copy of mom's are sadder than I've seen them in a while. He's clutching the house phone to his chest, and blinking harder than normal. "Mom. Aunt Shelley can't come. Her doctors and carers say she's not fit enough to come for dinner."

I pause, halfway through putting the casserole into the oven. Dad turns from the hob and sighs heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose, inconspicuously. Mom freezes up, and Jay pauses, too.

"T-That's okay." Mom says. "Isa, honey, put it in the oven, we have more people coming round." When no one responds, mom laughs shakily. "It's cool. I'm fine, guys. Shelley can come another time...it's not the end of the world."

But tears flood her eyes, and she blinks furiously to make them disappear.

Dad comes up to mom and takes her into his arms. For once, I'm glad that my parents aren't private about their affections...glad that they love each other enough to show it to one another.

"Brittany." He whispers it into her hair, holding her so close, in the fold of his arms. That's all he says, just her name.

"No." Mom sniffs. "It's fine." She pushes away from dad, and wipes her cheeks, laughing a watery laugh. "I'm being silly. I don't want to worry any of you. Paco, honey don't look so scared. I'm sorry...for losing it. Jay, continue. You're doing a good job with the cake, baby."

I push the casserole into the oven and turn it on, my mind far away.

Dad turns back to the hob, but his eyes are in anguish. I know he can't stand any of us being upset, most of all, mom.

I turn back to help dad with the taco's, standing next to him watching over the filling, the vegetables steam.

Dad puts his hand over my waist and pulls me close to him, hugging me. And I let him, because I know he needs as much as I do.

It's around seven when Celia, her boyfriend, Dylan, Estelle, Maria and my aunt and uncle, Kiara and Carlos, arrive, bearing consoling smiles and hugs.

Mom grins at them, looking bright as the sun. But she's good at that, hiding her imperfections, acting like she's happy and fine. She's so not.

Celia walks over to me, and gives me a hug, too, which is what I need. She doesn't say anything, which is helpful. Dylan gives me a hug too, which feels good. "Looking good, baby." He says, with a wink, which makes me laugh.

Celia slaps him. Dylan pretends it hurts and winces, clutching his heart.

"I thought you two sorted out your grievances." I say to them, laughingly, as I lead them to the dining room, where the food is being layed out, and the adults are chatting.

Celia pokes me on the arm. "I thought you and Dylan aired out yours those few months ago, when I caught you going at it like there was no tomorrow." She sounds fine about it, but I wince remembering how I kissed Dylan. Hey, he was hot, and I'm a red-blooded teenager. But he's taken now, and in my eyes, a good friend. Plus, you can tell by the way he looks at my cousin, that he's infatuated by her.

Celia managed to tame the bad boy gangbanger. She _has_ her happy ending.

I grin at Celia, and we all sit down on the table, chatting over things that don't really matter to any of us.

Then the doorbell rings.

I smile at mom as she starts to get up. "Stay down, mom, I'll get it." I run down the hallway and open the door.

Jared is standing at the doorway, wearing jeans, and a button down t-shirt, with the sleeves pulled up. His brown hair is tousled and slightly wet at the ends, as if he's just has a shower, and he's got his arms crossed and an easy grin on his face, like he does this all the time.

Which, I guess he does.

"You." I say, startled.

Jared shrugs. "When one invited someone to a dinner, they tend not to be startled when that someone actually arrives."

I did invite him. That niggling thing at the back of my stomach wasn't just indigestion.

"I know." I say, defensively. "Come on in."

He does, looking completely at home, filling the space, and –even I have to admit, though it may just be the circumstances or the spiciness of dad's tacos leaking into my brain- sexy as hell.

I do _not _want to jump this guys bones in the hallway, with my family two rooms away. No. _Nada. _It would be so wrong, plus the guy's a jerk.

Albeit a sexy jerk. But I have a boyfriend and my mind is in trauma. That's it.

"This way to the sound of the voices, I'm guessing." Jared says, a dark eyebrow raised, as he looks down at me. "Okay, sure, oh gracious hostess."

I clear my throat. "Yeah, follow me."

He does, a smile on his face, that's half wicked half secretive. Maybe the secret behind the smile is wicked.

I step into the room, and smile widely, as every eyes turns on me. I catch sight of Celia, blinking hard, at Jared behind me. Suddenly she smiles and mouths, _score._

My smile turns weak.

"Everybody, this is Jared. The guy I was telling you about." I cast a pointed look to mom, who looks half shocked and, for the first time, amused. "I invited him over."

Jared steps out from behind me. "'Sup." He says, casually.

Mom laughs. "hey, Jared. Why don't you pull up a chair, and get some tacos? They're really good."

The mood deflates as Jared does so, and the awkwardness melts into casual again, as everyone starts talking.

Jared pulls out a chair and sits next to me, reaching over for a taco, and brushing against me, as he does so.

Dylan, opposite us, raises a light eyebrow, watching the show, raptly. I flip him off, subtlety, and catch his grin back at me.

Dad leans in, a bitter smile playing on his lips, his eyes fiery with caution and deterrence. "So, Jared." He says, casually. I freeze.

"Let's get some ground clear. Are you fucking my daughter?"


	14. The interrogation

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Jared

So, like, as soon as the old man asks me the question, _are you fucking my daughter, _it seems everything goes to a standstill. A knife clatters, someone gasps. Isa's cousin, Celia, reacts with the widening of those big dark eyes. It's her boyfriend, the blonde one, is the one who shows a true reaction, by throwing his head back and laughing.

He stops when Celia nudges him in the ribs, though.

I tip my chair back, ever so slightly and smirk at Isa's dad, through lowered eyelashes. "Excuse me."

Isa's mom- the resemblance is as clear as day- with her beautiful blonde hair and big blue eyes, looks around the table, wildly, before turning round to smack her husband. "Alex!"

The man who looks a lot like Celia and her sisters- Isa's uncle- raises a dark eyebrow. "_Hermano, que pregunta!" _

His wife slaps him, too. It's like it's the c_hastise your lover_ day. "Carlos!"

"What?"

"Stop speaking Spanish, it's rude!"

"Sorry, _querida."_

"Carlos!"

"I mean, sorry baby."

That's when Isa intervenes, removing her teeth from her lip and glaring at her dad. "Dad, can I talk to you in the hallway, please?" She sounds stern, like she's the parent.

Mr. Fuentes rolls his eyes. "Isa, I was just asking the boy a simple question!"

Mrs. Fuentes, Isa's mom, shakes her head. "Alex, you asked a completely inappropriate question, in front of Estelle and Maria, no less!"

Paco decides to speak up. Right now, I'm just sitting there, enjoying the show, reveling in the fact that I don't have to answer the question. Which is, of course, yes. But, Isa's family doesn't need to know that. "Actually, I'm curious about his intentions towards Isa, too."

"Paco!" Isa says, exasperation on her face and in her tone.

Paco shrugs. Dylan snorts, and gets another nudge from Celia. But this time, she looks as if she's trying not to laugh, too.

Jay, who's stabbing his fork in his taco, and raising it up next to his head, dangerously, smiles a feral smile. "Yeah, _Jared, _what are your intentions?"

"Right, that is it!" Isa says, slamming her hands down. Her mom, looks like she's going to break into a thousand tiny pieces. I remember the news about Isa's aunt, and suddenly, a lightning bolt of...not sympathy, but _empathy _roils through me.

"No sir. I'm not planning to, ahem, make love to your daughter. At all. Ever. Can we get back to this lovely meal now, please?" I say, my voice, I am aware, is low and drawling.

Isa blinks, slowly. I know, 'cause I'm watching her every move.

I hear Mrs. Fuentes sigh. Uncle Carlos sighs too, but it seems more out of disappointment.

Unfortunately, it's not over.

"So you're sayin'," Mr Fuentes says, eyebrows raised, a spark of anger in his brown eyes, "that you don't find my baby girl attractive?"

Oh for the love of Christ...

"Dad!"

"Alex!"

"Uncle Alex!"

There is a chorus of womens' voices. Dylan puts down his fork and starts to laugh so hard that he can't even take in a breath. The uncle is smirking openly, and his wife is trying to distract her two young daughters by piling vegetables onto their plates while they protest.

"I find your daughter not attractive in the least." I say. "Why, is that a problem?" No, but it's a lie. A big fat lie. If I was Pinocchio, I'd have s nose up to Kentucky and back.

Isa braces her hands on the table, and stops glaring at her dad, turning to face me. "You...excuse me?"

I just smile at her, watching her push her hair out of her eyes in disbelief.

Mr. Fuentes sighs, deep in thought, appraising me with cool eyes, now. "Eh...what the hell. I think I like you, young man."

Mrs. Fuentes looks at him. "You do?"

Mr. Fuentes nods. "Yeah. He has character."

"The only reason you like him is 'cause he's not sexually attracted to Isa. The _only _guy!" Celia points out, fingering a bread-stick.

"She's right," says Paco. "I like him too."

Isa mumbles something under her breath, and looks down at the dining table, her cheeks red. I calmly stab a salad leaf with my fork. "This is one great salad." I look at Mrs. Fuentes.

She smiles at me, looking embarrassed as hell. "Actually, Kiara made the salad. I just took the casserole in and out of the oven."

I smile at Aunt Kiara, putting on the charm. "It's one fine salad." Then I turn to Mrs. Fuentes. "And a nicely done casserole."

It seems that this is what it takes for the table to morph into a comfortable chat. But I notice that Isa is quiet next to me, too quiet, and tense. I wonder if I've hurt her feelings.

The dinner ends smoothly, a bunch of awkward questions thrown my way about grades and intentions and jobs and whatnot. By the end of it, I feel worn out like a dishcloth.

It's around eight pm when my phone rings. I check the caller. Gabe.

I ignore my phone, and slip it back into my pants pocket.

Mr. Fuentes calls me out on it, eyebrows raised. "Aren't you gonna get that?"

I blow out a deep breath, making a strand of my hair fly. "Nope."

Mr. Fuentes gives me a look, but leaves it. Just as well. If the old man started questioning me about my home life, I'd damn well tell him; I'm not ashamed.

But I wouldn't want to tell him.

Dinner finishes, and Isa's cousins are about ready to leave. It's then when Dylan pulls me aside into a corner.

"Dude," he begins, eyebrows raised. "You're messing around with Isa, aren't you?"

I grin at him, nonchalantly. "She's my friend."

Dylan just snorts. "Hell yeah she is. If you do anything to hurt her, I will make it my life goal to hunt you down, man." He's serious by the gleam in those green eyes.

"I won't." Don't ask me why I didn't say anything else, didn't make a joke of it, or contradict or challenge him. I just didn't.

"Good." Dylan nods at me, through narrowed eyes and walks away, towards his family. He puts an arm around Celia and she leans on him.

A pang travels through me when I see the families interact, mess around with each other, joke and laugh. Something that I've never had in my life before.

And then I look at Isa, who's looking at me blankly.

The zing travels through me, like a firework, something completely unwelcome or unexpected. And it scares the crap out of me.


	15. Jared gets JUMPED

**Heyooo! Hope you enjoy the chapter update! Thanks for the awersome reviews! XD**

Isa

_I find your daughter not attractive._

It's maths, and all that I can think about is that sentence. I can't get it out my mind, out of my head. It's bugging the shit out of me, and I don't know why. Well, okay, I guess I do know why, kinda.

No one has never not found me attractive.

It's a fact, not me being vain or arrogant, I swear. It seems that the only person who doesn't find me hot is the one guy who's thoughts I can't get out of my mind. Usually if I have guy problems I go to mom or Aunt Shelley. But Aunt Shelley's been advised severe bed rest and mom's got too much on her plate to be bothered with my problems, even I admit, are stupid and pathetic, compared with the harsh reality of the sister she grew up loving more than life itself is dying.

Maths passes relatively slow, and for the first time, I can't get my head around the complex equations. They don't make me excited for the challenge of going through procedures to try to solve them, but frustrated and annoyed.

The bell rings for lunch and I scramble outside, trying to clear my head. I smile at the various people down the hallway that say friendly hi's or else, try to hook me into a conversation, but I'm not in the mood.

The fresh Chicago wind clears my mind, like I'd hoped for, but sends a chill running through me. I breathe in deep and rub my head, which has started to throb, and perch myself down on the empty bench that no one's occupying, probably because it's way too chilly to be September.

I close my eyes and try to bend my head back, and think of nothing but the sound of my breathing, but that fails, because as soon as my eyes close, Jared's face comes to mind. His dark hair tousled and oh so soft, soft enough to make me want to run my fingers through it, lips curved in a half smile that's all masculine amusement. Blue, blue eyes making me want to melt into a puddle of goo right there on the fucking bench, and high cheekbones pulled against soft ivory skin, something so delicate, made fiercer, more stronger on his face.

My eyes snap open, my head whizzing.

Then I hear the voices.

Jared's voice.

Don't ask me how I recognize his, but there it is. And he sounds mad. I bite my lip wondering if I should intervene or what.

"I don't fucking want to join your gang!" Jared's voice, definitely. If I hadn't been sure of it then, I'll be damned if I am now. The hot deficiency of his tone, made furious by his words...something I'd never have expected cool, amused and sardonic Jared to be. And yet, I know it's him.

I get up, immediately, though it's none of my business and follow the sound of his voice.

"Listen to me, boy, and listen well." I blanche at the gruff voice, none of Jared's classmate's have. Too old a voice to be in high school. "You don't got a fucking choice whether you want to be in the Blood. You have an obligation, we're in fucking debt!"

I press myself against the nearest brick wall and stop moving. I'm close enough to crane my head, and peek through the small crack in the wall, and so I do. Jared's standing with his back to the wall I'm leaning against, his spine so taunt, the black t-shirt he's wearing is ramrod straight against his outline. His fists, and tendons in his arms, shown by his shit rucked up at the sleeves are tense.

He's talking to two men. One, with dirty blonde hair, a grim smile and a skull tattoo on the side of his face. Another with hair as dark as night, a beard which looks shaggy as hell, and unkempt, and clothes which look to be days old. Even from here I can smell his unclean scent.

"You are a good fighter, Jared," the blonde man says, his tone condemningly gentle. "You're strong and quick, and you can run hella fast. I've seen you on track."

Jared snarls, "You fucking stalker."

The man with the dark hair and beard raises his hand to slap Jared, but the blonde man stops him. "Jared," he says, his eyes, a startling black, so empty and flat, they're like black holes. "Gabe is right. You don't have a choice. I'll expect to see you initiated tomorrow after school."

The man with the beard, Gabe, laughs wickedly. "You pushover. Being so nice, lettin' my fucking stepson go to school are you?"

The blonde man grins. "See Jared? I can be nice." He starts to turn away, pulling Gabe with him. "I'll see you there and then. For the moment, you might want to tend to curious Molly over there. Your girlfriend by the looks of it."

And all of a sudden, those piercing black eyes are glaring right at me. I gasp, the jolt of shock running through me.

Jared turns, too, and his gaze registers mine. Suddenly, his face is storm clouds and black fury. "Isa."

Gabe laughs, looking behind too, to call over his shoulder. "You gots a good looking one there. I might keep her for myself one day. Watch out, boy."

Jared winces, but doesn't say anything until the two men are gone around the bend. Then he lunges for me, and all of a sudden, I'm trapped against the wall and his body, his face very close to mine, and his blue eyes scrutinizing mine, a link so sudden and strong I can feel sparks fly.

The heat from his body emanates mine. "You idiot," Jared mutters. "What do you fucking want from me?"

"I came outside to get some air and I heard you." I whisper. "How did he know I was here?"

"Because," Jared says, a trace of bitterness seeping into his tone, "he's a fucking fox that's why. Isa, how much did you hear of that conversation?"

I breath in deeply, the scent of aftershave, the slightest hint of deodorant and the husky scent of Jared, does things to my brain, thoughts a girl with a respective boyfriend shouldn't have, come to mind when I smell Jared's scent.

"You're in a gang. They can't force you," I whisper. "That's illegal and just wrong."

Jared laughs harshly, and the sound makes my heart clench. "I'm a gangbanger now, sweetheart. That's all kinds of fucking _wrong."_

"My dad was in a gang too. I can help you..."

Jared cuts me off. "You can't help me. They'll track me down."

"Not if they're behind bars," I protest, my voice sounding weird and trembling to my own ears.

Jared presses my back against the wall, and I wince. "That hurts."

He stops, immediately. "Yes they can. They can fucking do anything that they want. Gabe, my step father is the one in control now."

"I want to help you!" I say, cupping his face with my hands.

His eyes narrow, and his hands come to my palms around his face, pulling them off him, and pressing them against the wall, in an explicit way. My body arches against his, at his mercy. "Why do you want to help me?"

"I told you, my dad was in a gang."

"All the more reason for you to stay away from me." Jared's voice is low now, almost a husky growl, as he presses closer. "I'm a bad guy now." He leans in, so suddenly, and licks his tongue against my pulse.

I shudder. "You're being forced to do something you don't want to. That's not bad."

Jared chuckles, but it's a dark chuckle, filled with mirth. "Actions are bad, not our intentions."

"I don't understand." I'm aware my voice is dulling down into a breathy whisper, my lids fluttering to close as his lips nip at the skin of my neck.

"You don't have to. Just press yourself against me," Jared whispers.

My eyes come open. "You said you don't find me attractive."

Jared licks at my pulse again, and my body response is a jerk of my heart. Like it's being pulled by a crowbar. "Bad guys lie sometimes."

"I have a boyfriend."

"Are you trying to convince me of that or yourself?" Jared's hot breath makes the skin of my neck flush.

I press my head to the wall, not even caring that the jagged bits of the surface of the bricks are ruining my perfectly straightened hair. "I don't know."

Jared pulls away, and gives me an inscrutable look. "You need to eat something. Go back to school, and I'll come later."

"When?" I ask, trying not to touch the skin of my neck, feel the imprint of his lips there, the sensations of his soft touch against my skin.

Jared turns away, and for some reason I feel I've lost him. "Later. Go back to your boyfriend," a mocking statement. "And tell Beck I've gone for some air." A pause. "Oh yeah, and don't tell anyone about this, okay?" is question is casual but there's a desperate edge to the words, almost a plea.

I nod, although he's turned away, his back to me, and can't see. Then I turn to go back to the school. I look behind once, as soon as I get to the gates.

Jared's gone.


	16. Illusions and games

**OH MY GOD! I have read chapter 5 and 6 of Chain reaction, and it is amazing! I can't keep in my excitement at the fact that it's coming out, and after reading this link (which I can't post on here, but if you go onto google and type in justinespark chain reaction excerpt, you'll find it!) I can't stop it!**

**If you don't want to be spoiled, than I won't spoil it for you, and I don't think anyone else should. But if you're a crazy person who looooves to be showered upon spoilers and excerpts than go ahead! No pressure! I promise my lips are sealed!**

**Don't hate Jared! :)**

Jared

It's dark when I enter the HQ for the Latino Blood, and I wipe my palms along the front of my jeans, lick my lips nervously, try not to let fear show on my face. Nervousness is bad enough but fear will fucking have me ripped apart into shreds.

My big sister Rachel stands beside me, her hand on my arm. She looks nervous and scared...for me. In the car, her husband Steve watches anxiously, with their two year old daughter Sandi in his arms. My little brother Sam is in the backseat. They're all waiting, watching.

"We're not leaving without you, Jared," Rachel says, taking a deep breath. "This isn't right. I'll talk to Chrys, get him to understand that this isn't an obligation and that you have a right to say no." She say's it so fiercely. If I was looking at it from afar, I'd think she had too much hope in humankind to have been raised in the family we were raised in.

But Rachel has always been a better person than me. So is Sam for that matter. Always so good, so optimistic. It used to hurt, watching that optimism shrink into a tiny ball of fear every time mom came home drunk out of her ass, with some bastard or the other. The boyfriends she bought along were always the filthiest guys, the ones equally drink out of their fucking minds, the ones it seemed like she had picked up off the streets.

Most of them used to beat me and Sam into a pulp. I had always been the one to try to shield Sam and step in the fucking line of fire, but in the end, it had made no difference. Rachel, was an entirely different matter; those guys used to _leer _at her, try to touch her, push her around, and then invite themselves into her bedroom after they were finished with mom who was more than often passed out in the bedroom. Those were the days that Sam and I used to creep into her room and sleep together in a huddled ball, with Rachel in the middle. Sam was too young to understand, but I wasn't.

It was fucking hell to try to get those bastards off of my sister, off of my brother. Me, it didn't matter so much, but to see Sam and Rachel's eyes fill with hope; hope that maybe mom would change, maybe she would look at her kids and feel something, anything for them, just to be crushed and then rebuilt again, was the shittiest kind of pain.

"You hear me, Jared?" asks Rachel, looking down at me. She's seven years older than me, but she looks so young, especially with that soft brown hair falling around her shoulders and back, in delicate curled ends, her blue eyes, big and filled with compassion. "And then after, you're coming home with me and Steve." She interrupts as I open my mouth. "No honorary objections, anymore, Jared, I don't want to hear it. You can't keep protecting mom at your expense. She's chosen her lifestyle!"

I can't say anything else, because I'm interrupted by the door opening. Chrys, with his blonde hair, thinning at the hairline, his eyes a eerie black and his biceps bulging as he rests an arm against the doorway, glances at me, and then turns to Rachel.

"Hello. Nice to see you, Jared. Is this your...?" He leaves his sentence on a suggestive question. For some reason that sends a pang of hatred through me, and I imagine myself throttling the bastard's neck, chocking him to death.

Rachel speaks up. "Sister."

Chrys raises an eyebrow. "Aha. Of course, you two look alike. Nice to meet you, ma'am."

Rachel ignores the polite greeting, and cuts to the chase. "My brother is not going to join your gang, sir."

I nudge her side, and she looks down at me. "What? I'm telling him a fact!" She looks up at Chrys who's appraising us with a smirk on his lips. "I appreciate you offering him a spot, but Jared is no longer in Gabe's care anymore. He's in mine and I refuse to get him jumped into the Latino Blood. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

Chrys looks down at me, and then at my sister, who's a few inches shorter. "Is this true, Jared?"

I glare at Chrys, feeling suddenly powerful with my family behind my back. "Yeah. I never wanted this."

Chrys nods, not an accepting, but more like he's thinking...hard. "Oh...of course." Chrys is obligingly polite. It's all a scam, deceptive. The leader of LB is like a black rose. Harmless as such, but filled with poison at the touch. "I would never force you into the LB, without your consent. I was hoping you would join, you have tons of potential...but nevertheless." He shrugs. "Anyway. Hope you have a good evening. Thanks for coming."

And then he shuts the door.

Rachel looks at me, her expression confused. Mine is, too. "Is that...it?"

I shrug. "I guess so." It seems too easy, I know that we're both thinking that. But neither of us wants to jinx it by saying anything.

Rachel breaks into a smile, her suspicion gone with the wind. "That's great. See? It's all cleared. Now come on, let's go, before they change their mind."

And she leads me back to the car. Before I get in I crane my head to see Chrys staring at us through the window, his smirk apparent even from all the way up to the sidewalk.

* * *

"Jared! Man, you look dead."

I glare at Beck through strands of my hair falling over my eyes and give him the finger, my head still slumped on the desk.

Beck, much less than taking offense, just laughs it off. "Back atcha man. What are you so depressed about? You got out of a friggin' legacy of joining gangs.

I roll my eyes at him. "Legacy? What the fuck is this, The Vampire Diaries?"

Beck rolls his eyes. "The Vampire Diaries have _nothing _to do with legacies! It's about two brothers, and one girl, and they both love her. Personally my favorite is Stefan, but..." He stutters when I shoot him a mocking grin. "Not that I watch it."

I sigh and raise my head, leaning back against the chair I'm sitting in, so that it balances my weight on its two back legs. "I dunno, man. It seemed weird, that's all."

Beck slips out two cigarettes and hands me one. I take it, and light it up. "Listen, dude. You got out. Asshole Gabe lost. You get to live with your family- the good side of your family. You should be high on _that._"

I sigh and a puff of smoke comes out from between my parted lips. "Yeah." I can't get the dude's smirk out of my head, though.

"Jared!" A squeal from behind me, and then a girls curvy body presses up against me. I almost choke on my cigarette and Beck grins a crooked grin at me, from opposite. "Baby!"

"Shiela," I say, sitting back, as Shiela Pierce sits back on my lap. "What up?"

"I'll tell you what's up," Shiela says, her boobs jiggling in my face, barely concealed by her low cut top. "Prom! Next month!"

"Prom?" I stare at Beck. He rewards me with a cigarette salute.

"Prom!" Shiela confirms. "You're going with me, right?"

I nod, sliding my hand up her arms. "Sure, baby."

Shiela smiles a hundred watt smile, and flicks her hair back over one shoulder, a jet of shimmering red. "Awesome!" She leans down to give me a big kiss, and runs off, before stopping to take the cigarette that's in Beck's hand.

Beck glares at Shiela's retreating back. "Dude. She took my cigarette."

I rub my temple. "Whatever. Did you know about this Prom?"

"Yeah," says Beck. "I asked Candy last week."

"Thanks for telling me, man," I say, before flipping him off, with a sour look. Beck smiles at me, dry as a corpse.

"No problem. That's what friends are for."

I get up and flick my cigarette so that it bounces off his forehead. And then rest of the day is filled with Pre-Calculus, Beck's corny ass jokes, and more prom invites.

"Jared!" Ming Santoshi says, running up to me, her straight black hair running over one shoulder. "I need to ask you something."

I casually shut my locker, and turn on my side to lean against it. Ham, who's standing next to me, looks down at Ming with a smile.

"Prom. Will you go with me?" Ming asks, in a no nonsense tone.

I nod at her. "Sure babe."

She grins, a blush playing on her cheeks. "Great! I'm so excited." Leaning in, she kisses me on the cheek and runs off.

"Dude," Ham says. "What the fuck is wrong with you? You've said yes to Shiela, Beth, Laura and now Ming? How many girls are you taking to prom?"

I roll my eyes. "All of them...duh."

Ham slaps my back. "Ah, Jared, you crazy motherfucker. From this day forth, I live to see your dick stuck up on a pole in the highlands after prom. I will not die before I see you murdered by half of the female population of Fairfield High."

I grin at Ham. "What can I say? Even you, along with every girl in this school live to see my dick one day."

Ham rolls his eyes at me. "Whatever. Your ass is your ass. And, hey, what's playing with Isa?"

I smile at him mysteriously. "I'm not asking her to prom."

"Dude, if you want to score her tight, sexy ass, you probably should discard all the other girls and ask Isa to the prom," Ham says, cautiously. He's looking at me, openly, now, as if I'm a madman. Maybe I am. I dunno why I said yes to all the girls who've asked me to prom, when, in truth, I don't actually like any of them.

Maybe I _am_ suicidal.

"Jealousy is way more potent than anything else," I tell Ham wisely. Suddenly, I know what I'm going to do. A grin creeps up on my face. "And when Isa sees me at Prom with all those girls, she'll go crazy."

Ham shrugs. "Yeah," he says it slowly. "Suuure."

I rub my hands together. "I am a genius."

"Yeah...suuuuuuuure."

I clasp Ham on the back and give him a knowing smile. "You'll be losing that money by the end of Prom, man. Better get ready to give in and accept it now. I'd demand you give it to me now, but I'm too excited about scoring Isa Fuentes."

And then I turn on my heel and walk off to English, feeling like the hottest shit in town.


	17. The News

**Hey! I hope you guys have get this update, 'cause I'm not sure whether it's sending, or not. Eh...computers suck sometimes. **

**Hope you enjoy this update. SOGOOD, I'm sorry, there's no Isa and Jared banter in this one, but the next one will soon come up (after Tuesday) and it'll have so much banter, you will be knocked away off your chair. I promise :)**

**KelsNicole92...you are awesome as usual :) CHECK OUT HER CHAOTIC CHEMISTRY STORY ON FANFICTION, IT IS AMAZIIIING! **

**The song that I was listening to while writing this was Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri, if you want to check it out. But the Glee version of it. I love Glee. Kurt reminds me of Jay, minus the pastiness and girl voice...**

**He he. :)**

Isa

I feel numb, as if I've been stung by a million an-aesthetically charged jellyfish.

I was just walking to Bio when I heard Jared and his friend talking. When I heard my name, I paused. Now I'm standing behind a pillar, my jaw probably dropping down to the floor.

Bet? The boy made a fucking _bet _with his friend, that he could get me into bed?

My mind goes numb along with the rest of my body, and my head starts to seriously spin, which is not cool at all. It's only when I feel tears streak down my cheeks that I know I'm reacting in some way.

Oh shit. People are starting to look. Jared is long gone by now, with his friend. They're laughing and giving each other high fives.

I turn on my heel and leg it to the restroom, tears freely falling down my face. I slip into a stall and grab at the toilet paper, wrenching it away, furiously, and wiping my tears. Thank God (and mom) that I chose to wear the waterproof stuff, or else I'd be looking like a sad Panda.

I sit on a stall and lean my head against the wall, replaying Jared's words. _You'll be losing that money by the end of Prom. I'd demand you to give it to me now, but I'm too excited about scoring Isa Fuentes._

This has to be a joke.

I scrub at the fresh tears that slide down my cheeks and take in a deep, silent breath. Why am I so upset? It's not like I expected any better of Jared Salisbury. He's a jerk and always will be a jerk. Attraction, my ass. Life is a fucking bitch. Just when everything's crumbling on top of you, it breaks the only awning that's sheltering your head and lets the rocks fall on you.

Which is why I've decided what I'm going to do. Wrenching open the door, with a lot more drama than I need to, I reapply my makeup and glance at myself in the mirror. I don't look like hot and sexy Isa Fuentes, daughter of the two legends of Fairfield High, Math extraordinaire, most coveted girl in the school. I look like a girl who's let one boy bring her down.

I'm not going to let Jared Salisbury and his fucking bet bring me down.

As I slide on mascara, vowing to myself, that my payback unto Jared will be ten times worse than his stupid money making scheme, I hear the door open.

It's my friend, Miranda. The one who went on the date with Jared. I remember it clearly, because there was a fuzzy red haze in front of my eyes every time I looked their way, that night, only a few tables up from us, looking cozy and content together.

I haven't talked to Mir as much since that night. But I am now.

"What are you doing?" she hisses, and I realize that she's been saying something to me. "Mrs. Grant sent me out to look for you! Or did you forget we have Biology?"

I blink. "Mir. You remember Jared, right?"

Miranda shakes her head. "Yeah, of course. The dirty talker." She pulls on my arm, her blonde hair swinging around her like a veil, "Come on!"

I resist her. "No, wait up."

Miranda sighs. "Fine. What?" She puts her hands on her hips and cocks her head, waiting.

"He's...I overheard him talking about a bet and I was wondering if you knew about it," I say, lamely.

Miranda straightens up and puts a hand on my shoulder. "What do you mean? Bet?"

Oh shit. Tears are threatening to come, again. It's damn annoying because I _know_ I don't give a fuck about Jared. But for some reason, this hurts. Badly.

Hormones?

"Baby!" Miranda cooes, looking startled. She pulls me into a hug, but I pull away and wipe my eyes. "Did he use you for sex?"

"No." I sniffle, feeling like an idiot. "But he has this plan to. For...for money." I snort, wetly. I wonder, absently, if I'm even making sense. "I- I don't even know why I'm crying, Mir. It's not like I love him! We just fight a lot!"

"You want me to talk to him?"

"No!" I say, startled. "No. I want you to help me...figure something out. What do I do?" And all of a sudden Miranda has become a close friend, again. I guess she follows the rule: Chicks before Dicks, 'cause she sure as hell doesn't give a damn that she went out with Jared once. Her attention is focused on revenge if her evil smile is anything to go by.

"About what?" Miranda questions, stroking my hair. "You want to bitch slap him in front of the whole student body? I can help you with that."

I shake my head. "No. I need to do something else. Something more...evil. Sneaky."

Miranda pulls my hand. "We'll talk more in Biology, come on. I'll just tell Mrs. G that you felt sick or something."

And suddenly, she stops, turning around on the top of her ballet sandals and clapping her hands in front of my face. I wince.

"I have an idea!" she exclaims, shaking me.

"What?" I say. It seems Biology is forgotten for the moment.

Miranda grins like a demon. "Make him fall in love with you and then break his heart. Don't let him know you know what he knows."

Okay, that last part was confusing, but damn, when Miranda gets a plan, she gets one good. I'm smiling at her now, and all of a sudden, it's as clear as day that what she's saying is perfect comeuppance. Make Jared fall in love with me.

Yes!

I raise my palm to high five Mir, and she puts an arm around me. "Mrs. G will totally understand where you're coming from. You have tear tracks running down your face, and you're pale like a ghost. Cramps at their worse."

Looking at my face as I pass a reflecting locker, I can't help but agree with the sad truth. But there's an evil gleam in my eye that's fueled by revenge.

I prefer it to crying in the stalls, anyway.

* * *

By the time I get home, I'm exhausted, and praying to God that my car will come back from its Smog test, fast. I have a lot of homework, weighing my back down.

I wince and extract the bag from my shoulder, dumping it in the hallway.

"I'm home," I call to no one in particular. As soon as I walk into the living room and I stop.

Mom and Dad are sitting on the couch together. Looking up at me solemnly, their hands linked together. Mom's leaning her weight on Dad, who's stroking her blonde hair, gently.

"You okay?" I say, to both of them, and slink into the counter to reach for a nectarine. "Is Aunt Shelley okay?"

Mom nods, and pulls herself up with a sigh. "Isa. Sweetie. Sit down."

I raise my eyebrows and look at Dad. Normally when Mom's having one of her, 'I am a Mom on a drama show' moments, Dad's always the one who likes to watch, amused.

He doesn't look amused, right now. He looks...happy? Not happy, but glowy. Like he's retaining excitement.

"_Muneca, _we got somethin' to tell you," he says, softly.

I sit, seriously weirded out now. I go through it all in my head. It's obviously got nothing to do with Aunt Shelley, or else Mom would be in tears by now. She's pretty emotional. Otherwise from that, there's really no problem in our lives.

So when Mom says, "Sweetheart, I'm pregnant," I start to laugh.

"This is a joke, right?" I say, in between chuckles. Because no way in hell, is God going to put me through all of this in just one day.

Dad shakes his head, and nuzzles against Mom's hair. "Told you she'd take it the worst," I hear him whisper.

Mom take his hand. "Give it a minute to sink in."

They both watch me, wearily.

Okay, it's not sinking in. I want to scream at something. A minute to sink in, my ass. I need a whole lot more than a minute!

"You're serious?" I say, at last. "Do Paco and Jay know?"

Dad nods. "Yup. And yes, again, _hija."_

Wow. Am I really that bad, that everyone has to wait on my reaction the last? I wonder if it was the same with telling us all about Aunt Shelley.

"Guys..." I croak, through a lump of goo that's seemed to lodge itself in my throat. "That's great news. Congratulations!"

And then I get up and run to my room as fast as I can.

And do the one thing I can think of to calm me down.

Quadratic Equations.

**Oh yeah. I went there. Don't pretend it wasn't coming. It was planned from the very START! XD**


	18. More Games

**Update! I hope you enjoy it because I did! :)**

**Just for the record, I have no claim over Swami relatives down South in India. Or Jared's exemplary prickliness. Or Isa'a sundress, which by the way is on Google if you want to see it, just type in sundress on Google images- if you, ah, want to... :)**

Jared

I come to work, feeling elated like a balloon filled with Helium (minus the squeaky shit) and slip on my apron. Cody smacks me 'round the head as soon as I get in, looking PO'd. What'd I do now?

"You dumbass. How many girls did you ask to the Prom?" he asks me, his tousled brown hair adding to the angry look, his cheeks flushed, probably from running around the busy tables.

I smirk. "Many. Why the fuck do you care?"

Cady takes in a deep breath. "No reason." His answer is lame, and I can see the truth hiding in his eyes. I just stare at him. He blows out a breath eventually, after about a minute of staring, battling it out with our gazes. "Fine. You asked that chick, Letisha Gonzalez out and I think she's hot. I was gonna come 'round to your school and ask her out. But you got to her first. Like you always do. Happy?"

Letisha Gonzalez. Isn't she Isa's close friend? I put my hand on Cody's shoulder. "Don't sweat it, man. You can have her after I'm done with her."

Cody shakes off my hand with an annoyed shrug. "Dude, that is not cool, and you know it. Don't get off on being a jerk. I really like Letisha and its fucking obvious your using her for whatever twisted thing you got going on. It's gonna bite you in the ass, man." And with that he turns, throwing the towel back on his shoulder and strides off towards a group of tween girls giggling around a table, their heads close together.

* * *

Isa is the one who walks up to me first thing next morning. I'm just getting out of my car, swinging the door shut, and all of a sudden someone taps me on my shoulder. It's a feminine tap, and I spin around and freeze.

She looks hot.

I mean, Isa is one girl who I can confidently say has got it goin' on, even if she was wearing a bin bag, even when she's not even trying. So when she _does _try, she looks...stunning.

Heart stopping.

She's got a short summer dress on, perfectly feminine with a bow and everything. Her hair- that blonde, beautiful hair- is pulled off her face, in a long, sexy ponytail over one shoulder. Sunglasses perched on her head, makeup accentuating features which are already beautiful. The light seems to focus directly on her, like she's the actress on center stage, the girl everyone's eyes are on. And she's smiling. At me. Her shiny, provocative lips angled upwards.

Good enough to fucking eat. I swallow, feeling like I've been whacked by a two-by-four.

"Hi, Jared." She sounds like she's dressed, sunny and happy. "Whats up?"

I frown at her, trying to conceal my sudden unwelcome hard on with my bag. "You, ah, dressed up for school?"

Isa shrugs. "Gotta look good, you know." Oh I know and so does my dick, it knows. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you if you were free after school?" Another devastating sunny smile.

Okay, suspicious thoughts, despite my aroused state. Why- _WHY- _is she so cheerful towards me? "You asking me out, Fuentes? Don't you have a boyfriend?" I raise an eyebrow at her, and lean backwards against my car, crossing my arms and look down at her.

She nods. "I know. I'm not asking you out, Jared. I'm not crazy." What's that supposed to mean? I open my mouth to ask just exactly that when she intercepts with, "I just want to be friends with you. We _are _English partners for the semester, maybe more." A shrug. "Apparently, Mr. Bannerjee's gone to India for some retreat down South with his Swami relatives. Some spiritual Yoga thing. So I figure, we might as well not fight."

Hah. Yeah, and I'm a Mongoose with one leg. Does this girl think I'm a chump? She can't act to save her life, and her sunny act is really starting to annoy me.

"You liar," I growl.

Isa blinks up at me. "No, I'm serious. I know it's hard to believe, but Mr. Bannerjee really _does_ have Swami relatives down South in India. Never really took him for a Yoga kind of guy, but Mrs. Peterson told us-"

"Not about the fucking Yoga thing, about wanting to be friends with me. You're lying. I know because I know you," I say, simply, slipping my hand in my right pocket and sliding on my sunglasses. "You're a sucky actress."

Isa pouts, and it's believable enough. Well, that's a lie, it's fucking scary how helplessly beautiful she looks when she does that. It makes me want to crawl on my hands and knees over hot pits of coal just to give her what she wants, no matter whether it's the world or everything in it. "I'm not lying, Jared," she whispers. "I want you..." a small, seductive pause that turns the air around us into a vacuum that separates everyone in the parking lot from us. "To be my friend."

That was suggestive. Too suggestive. But I'm not gonna fall for it. If I don't have the upper hand on this conversation, she'll walk all over me. And I'm not having it.

I take a step towards her, causing her to falter and step back. I walk her backwards one step, and then another, and once again, until her back is pressed against a brick wall, the one parallel to our school. She gasps, eyes wide as she realizes how far back she's gone. I suppress a grin as I look down at her, my arms enclosing her in a cage. "Want to be my friend now?" I whisper, leaning down so that my lips skim the shell of her ear.

"Y-Yes."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes." More confident this time, as her gaze levels mine. "I think we could be great friends. JD and Turk, Ren and Stimpy. Spongebob and Patrick!" She beams at me.

God, my fucking heart stops at that smile. Everything stops. I breathe in deep trying not to let it show how much she's turning me on, because this is Isa Fuentes and she's suddenly trying to be bum-chums with me and obviously that equals scheme.

"What are you up to?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

Isa blinks at me. "Who says I'm up to something?" Her voice is low when she asks that, a husky purr, which turns me on like nobody's business. I suck in a shallow breath.

"I do."

She does something totally unexpected then, she leans in and kisses me. A quick press of her lips against mine, slanted and open mouthed. My erection threatens to poke a hole through my jeans.

Isa waves and slips away, walking towards the entrance of the school, her hips swaying and her sexy long legs strutting away. And for the first time in a long time, I'm the one left in the dust, staring hopelessly after her.


	19. The Date plan

**Update! I hope you like it! It's not that good, and if this update seems a bit shoddy, I'm sorry in advance! I've got a lot of stress with studies going on and writing is my best release from it all, but it's not always up to standard! :) I still hope you like it, even though there's not a lot much going on!**

**Apparently there's this new song done by India's 'hottest' playback singer, Sunidhi Chauhan in collaboration with Enrique Iglesias- like a remix of 'Heartbeat', which is really catchy, so I've been listening to that through this update and I can't get it out of my head! **

Isa

It's been a good day for once, as soon as I get home from school, and I'm smiling. I feel good, great in fact, and I let out a heady sigh as I plonk my bag on the stairway and walk into the kitchen. Mom's there, making something which smells suspiciously like avocados.

"Hey," I say, a little awkwardly. I haven't spoken to either of my parents since yesterday when I ran out of the room. When they told me mom was pregnant. "Whatcha making?"

Mom smiles at me, and all of a sudden all the awkwardness disappears and we're cool again. I've been doing some thinking and I've realized that there are many great things about Mom being pregnant. Having a new baby brother or sister to cuddle up to is one of them. Plus, I could teach my new baby sister or brother how to stick chopsticks up their nostrils for when their older.

"Pie," she gushes, looking truly happy for once.

I stare at the stuff she's got in the oven. It's oozing out of the container and looks like it's about to burst. I start to open my mouth, but when Mom interrupts with, "I made it myself," I clamp my lips together and decide not to comment.

"It's for your cousin's charity bake sale," Mom says, slipping on oven gloves. "Aunt Nikki asked if I could bring something, and I said sure. She's going to arrive in a few hours to pick it up, maybe stay for a cup of tea or whatever..." She pauses and scrutinies me, so suddenly, I'm taken aback. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I say, confused.

Mom puts her mitted hands on her slim hips and raises her eyebrows at me. "Something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong."

"Is it Harry? Is he giving you a hard time?" Mom asks, her eyes narrowing. "He's not pressuring you for anything?"

Wow. This is what I get when I'm happy? Sheesh!

"Mom, Harry's awesome, it's nothing!" I try to shake away the guilt as I say Harry's name, especially since I kissed Jared today. It's because of my plan, I know that much, but I can't deny that I love kissing Jared.

If I tell Harry, would he understand that I'm trying to get Jared to fall in love with me?

I wonder if Jared's in a gang, like dad was. I can't get that day out of my mind...

"Well, if you say so..." Mom says, but her blue eyes are still narrowed. "Mind, I prefer that Jared boy, myself."

"Well you shouldn't. He's a jerk," I say, shortly. A hot jerk. But a jerk.

Mom smiles and ruffles my hair with her oven-mitt clad hands. "The best guys are the ones who try to protect the world by acting like jerks. It's exciting to try to get under their skin." I know what she's thinking about. My dad and her. Their Romeo and Juliet-esque get together.

But life doesn't always work out like that. I just smile at my perceptive Mom and grab a nectarine on my way out to my room.

* * *

"I hear he's asked out, like, ten girls to the Prom..." Miranda says darkly. "What a prick."

I sigh. "Yeah. I know." I'm running my fork along the side of my salad bowl, and I can't bring myself to eat the feta-cheese there. It's making me sick just looking at it.

Miranda turns to me. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Everyone seems to be asking me that nowadays. Do I look off, or something. "Great."

"Has Harry asked you to the Prom, yet?"

I nod, although he hasn't. He probably will, though. Knowing Harry, he'll ask at the last minute. "He's pretty preoccupied with football."

Mir takes my hand. "He loves you, you know that."

I smile at her. She's right. Harry loves me, my studies are going great and I have great best friends, and a _familia _who love me. So why is it that every time I look at Jared, something hot uncurls in me?

Someone taps me on the shoulder and I jump and turn around to face Harry himself. He's got his football jersey on and he's grinning down at me, his curly dark hair falling into one eye. "You got a minute?"

I turn to give Mir a look. She smiles at me and turns to the girl next to her, giving us her subtle form of privacy. I appreciate it, since Harry doesn't wait for an answer, just pulls out the chair next to me and sticks a fork into my leftover feta cheese and starts chomping.

"So I was thinking, we haven't gone out on an actual date in a long time," he says.

I smile and kiss him on the lips. "You asking me out, player?"

Harry nods. "Hows about I pick you up at eight tonight and we go out to Taki's? It'll be fun."

"Yeah, sure. That sounds good."

Harry kisses me on the cheek and gives me a wink. "Eight. Tonight. Wear something sexy." I laugh, a little too hard to look natural, and he walks off.

Miranda turns to me, immediately after he's gone, the light shining off her eyes so that they sparkle. "I know!" she squeals, causing heads to turn. I shush her down and lean in.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" I whisper, grinning.

Miranda nods. "I dunno about you, but I'm thinking Jared and I should go on a little hot date tonight at Taki's. Say around Eight." I nod at her, straight-faced.

"That sounds like an excellent plan."

Mir sighs happily and runs her fork down the dregs of her spaghetti sauce licking at the tongues giddily. "Revenge is, like, the sweetest shit there is." She leans back on her chair and raises her fair eyebrows at me. "You know this means you gotta look like the bomb, right? Like, seriously sexy. Like, wowza sexy, just to knock him off his feet."

I roll my eyes at her. "Superficial."

She rolls her eyes back at me. "Boy-mentality. Duh."

"Fine, but I'm not verging onto slut."

Miranda sighs. "Oh, Isa, you naive young Mexican. You _have _to verge onto slut to get him to notice you!"

"Fine," I say shortly, exasperated. "Fine. Dad won't like it, though."

Mir leans over, then, and hits me on the head. "Stupid! Dress in something chaste when you get out and change in the restrooms! Are you, like, new to this or what?"

"No, I've just never purposefully tried to trick someone into liking me and then breaking their heart!"

Miranda gets up off the table and walks to my side. "Well, we're just going to have to take it slowly, one at a time."


	20. Taki's

**I am so sorry for the delay! My internet completely crashed, so I've got an array of updates saved on my computer and limited time on my hands to upload! Lol. So, sorry! I hope you enjoy and more will be up sooon! :)**

Jared

"Aw. My little brother's so handsome." Rachel straightens the bottom of my t-shirt and grins up at me, her shiny blonde curls catching the light. Her husband Steve, is leaning against the doorway, his arms folded at his chest, and is smiling at my sister like she's the light of his life. He's taken a break from his engineering project in the garage because Rachel called him up for some manly advice on what I should wear.

I swear to God...

I roll my eyes. "You are such an over reactor. It's just a date."

Rachel shakes her head, affronted. "Just a date? Just a _date_! NO date is just a date! You should treat every date like it's the last one you'll ever have, because the person might just be the parent to your _children _one day!"

"As you can see," Steve pipes up, "Your sister and I are example number one."

I roll my eyes again and turn to Steve. "Are you sure she's not drunk?"

"Quite sure. If she was, she'd be singing songs from _Footloose._ Remember?_" _

I nod, wisely. "Ah, of course."

Rachel slaps me on the shoulder and walks up to Steve, bringing his head down for a kiss. I groan, theatrically, but really I'm glad when they get soppy. Soppy equals in love, and I guess it's good at least one of the Salisbury kids should get some love, after the fucked up childhood we had.

I check the watch on the Mantelpiece and it's seven thirty already. Miranda Flewitt asked me out on a second date yesterday and I'm due to pick her up. I clap Steve on the back and kiss Rachel's cheek, then sprint off to my car, grinning to myself.

Miranda seemed pretty easy that time we went on the date together. Maybe tonight I'll get some.

If wishes were fucking karmic sparks, I'd deserve some hot 'n' heavy action. God knows I need it.

* * *

Me and Miranda reach Taki's at seven approx, and I open the passenger door for her, and she smiles at me, dazzlingly, her blue eyes sparkling. She looks pretty darn good in her hot pink sheath dress, but for some reason, I'm...well, not turned on.

And every time I look into her blue eyes, I think of dark brown ones. Brown eyes that sparkle like rare dark jewels. Isa's eyes.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit...

I shake it off, 'cause that's what I'm good at. I focus my attention on the girl next to me. She's looking up at me. "Something wrong?"

I grin down at her. "Just wondering about the reservations. It's kinda weird that you didn't let me book them."

Miranda smiles. "I have a surprise for you, that's why."

I sigh as we push open the door, and roll my eyes. "Women." Miranda just giggles.

"Okay," she says, taking my hand and leading me towards the booth. "Time for the surprise. Do you mind that I kinda called a couple of friends over for a double date? I'm sure you don't."

"Uh, who?" I say, warily. She's smiling a cunning smile.

So when she says, "Isa and her boyfriend, Harry." I'm not really surprised. It still comes as a shock, but God forbid if I didn't see it coming.

"There they are!" Miranda squeals, and runs towards the table, where Mr. Teeny-Weeny is sitting with the most beautiful girl in the world.

All of a sudden the erection that wouldn't show with Miranda, is rock hard- _rock-fucking-hard- _like a stone in my pants and I can't walk.

She's wearing a short black dress, which hugs her figure like a second skin, lovingly, her curves, the line of her hips, her waist, her breasts. Her sexy golden legs are prominent, on display, and her long golden hair, curling at the ends, so sleek, yet so silky and thick, make me want to run my hands through it, pull her close, feel those strands slide through my fingers. One side of her hair is pulled back into a rose clip.

Damn, but the girl cleans up _fine._

I swallow. Hard.

All of a sudden, it's hard to breathe.

"Jared, come on, babe." Miranda waves at me, and I start to walk, like a robot towards the table, and for some fucking reason my mouth is dry.

Miranda sits opposite me, and Isa's jerk of a boyfriend, next to her. Isa waves at me, her full lips curving up into a smile as she sidles on the bar seat next to me, her scent enveloping me, making it hard to think straight as peaches and mint invade my thoughts. A killer combination, I have just realized. Especially when it's topped up with a package like Isa.

She crosses her legs, and I notice she's wearing strappy high heels. There's a tattoo on her right ankle of a rose. I swallow, hard...again.

After a minute of composure, and trying to erase any thoughts- fantasies- of me tracing said tattoo with my tongue, I sigh and rein in on the shock, trying not to let it show, and smile my most wicked smile. "So...double date, huh? Well, this is a surprise."

Miranda giggles. "Yeah. You shocked?"

"Very." More like stunned half to death, blown away, knocked to smithereens.

Isa pushes her hair back and smiles at me. I put my hand on her knee and she freezes up, casting me a surprised glance. She's thrown, which is good, because right now I don't need any more busts to my ego. I've gone out with stunning girls before, so what is it about this one that has my panties in a fucking twist?

Teeny and Miranda are chatting about something or the other. Now's my chance to get her hot and heavy for me. It's a suitable comeuppance.

"Did you plan this?" I whisper getting close to her.

Isa rolls her eyes. "Uh, no. Look I meant what I meant in the parking lot. I think we should put aside all our shit and get along." She looks sincere, like she means it, dark eyes grave, and her silky, smooth skin pulled taunt across her high cheekbones, so that I want to stroke down her face with my fingers, and lips.

Fuck. I want to get this girl into bed _now._

Ham would be so ashamed. I got to be detached, especially if I want to win the bet. It's easy money. Maybe I could make a profession of it.

Would that make me a whore? I push that thought aside with a mental rake.

The waitress comes then, and we order our food and drinks. Teeny and Miranda continue to talk, up to the point where I'm convinced she's doing it on purpose. In all honesty, who the hell would want to talk to a shit head like Teeny anyway?

I take a sip of my coke and swill it around in my mouth, trying to ease the dryness.

Isa sighs heavily. Then leans closer and smiles at me, so dazzling, she's like a star and I'm momentarily stunned. "So..." she says, quietly. "You, um...have sex with anyone before?"

I choke on my coke.

Miranda and Teeny break off their intimate talk to stare at me, and Isa, looking shocked- whether it's aimed at herself or me- starts to thump my back.

I quit coughing, and Miranda and Teeny continue talking, like nothing happened. It's weird how much their talking. Well, Teeny isn't so much as talking as looking kinda nervously at my date, who's shooting her mouth off about stock exchanges.

"You okay?" Isa whispers, looking worried. Her face has gone red.

"What the hell kinda question is that!" I choke out.

Isa bites her lip. "I wanted to know. Sorry. Doesn't that kind of question turn you on? It does to all the other guys I've met!"

I blink down at her. "What the hell kind of game are you playing?" I ask, truly curious. "You wanted shit to do with me at the beginning, and now you want to turn me on...?"

Isa shifts closer to me, blinking up at me, through thick eyelashes, which cast shadows over her face. "I...want to get to know you better. In fact-" She bites her lip again, and slides out of the booth. "I'm just going to the restroom," she says, giving me a meaningful look.

Okay, there's something freaky going on if Isa Fuentes wants _me _of all people to follow her to the bathroom. Whatever happened to, 'leave me alone, Jared, I have a boyfriend?'

Miranda turns back to said boyfriend and asks him if he thinks she'll look good in a swimsuit. I look around as Teeny replies something that sounds like a bemused snort, and try to get my bearings.

Am I the one playing Isa or is Isa the one playing me?

I feel a smile creeping on my face at this new turn of events. If Isa is anything, she's not weak minded enough to be seduced within the span of a week. She must think I'm stupid if she assumes I can't smell a rat in all of this.

I wonder if Isa knows I get turned on by smart, devious chicks with rose tattoos on their ankles and long golden hair, that looks like each strand is the finest, most silkiest thread in the fucking world.

"I gotta make a call, be back in a sec," I say, gruffly, taking out my cell. Miranda smiles at me, completely nonchalant, and I smile back, not without a hint of evil.

My date doesn't so much as bat an eyelash at the fact that it's more than a little obvious I'm chasing another girl. She just continues to talk to Teeny, who's trying to crane his head and check where his girlfriend has gone off to. Miranda grabs his head and turns his face back to her, still talking.

Girls are weird.

I sprint towards Isa's direction, wondering if she's actually _in _the ladies bathroom. But she's not. She is, in fact, standing at the end of the dimly lit hallway, leading to the washrooms and second floor. I stop walking and stare down at her, unsure of how she wants to do this.

She takes my hand, and leads me to the outside door. I follow, with a smirk, because that's the only thing I can think to do right now. My brain is completely addled.

She turns to me, leaning against the brick wall in the parking lot and pulls me up against her. "So you never answered my question."

I raise an eyebrow. "I thought you had a boyfriend."

Something flickers across her dark eyes for a second, something that looks like a mixture of guilt and anger, but it switches off, before I can decipher further into it. "I do. Doesn't mean I can't...have some fun..." she trails off, looking a little confused, a little scared.

I lean in closer. "Good answer. Very believable." Slowly I kiss her nose, and can tell she's not expecting it, because she jumps at the contact. "What are you playing at?" I whisper.

"What are _you _playing at?" Isa whispers back, her expressive dark mocha eyes glaring up at me now, a sheen of tears building like a defensive barrier.

I blink. Okaay. "Me? Nothing." An effortless lie, that's somehow really bitter on my tongue.

"Well then I'm not playing at anything, either. It's give and take, Jared." She pushes herself up, so that she's stretched out against me, her soft lips up against mine. "Quid," her breath strokes across my lips, "Pro," and she's twining her hands into my hair. I lean in and capture her mouth, just as she mumbles, "Quo," and her words escape into my mouth, her lips pressing mine, and then opening like a blooming flower.

Her tongue snakes out, strokes my own, and all of a sudden, it becomes passionate and fiery and my veins flare up. I lift her in my arms, against the wall, and one of my arms go around to support her, and my fingers stroke down her hair, undoing the rose clip and chucking it somewhere, so that I can slide my hands into the warm, heavy weight of her tresses. She makes a sound against my mouth, and as my lips travel down her neck, she lets out a moan that makes me want to grab her to me, and push away the world so that it could be us, and just us in the world, in this parking lot, and no one else.

No one else.

"Jared!" she whispers.

I press my mouth to the pulse point at her throat.

"That was my favourite hair clip."

For some reason this turns me on more than anything, and I'm pushing down a strap of her dress down her right shoulder, and press my lips to the hot skin there, kissing down her arm, and back up over her throat.

Isa cups my face, pulling me up to face her, and kisses my cheek, to the corner of my mouth, and then presses soft nips along the seam of my lips, and all I can think of is that it feels so fucking good, I want to eat this girl up.

I start to rove my hands under her dress, across her stomach and over those curves that do my head in, my face buried in her neck. I get to the strap of her bra and start to tug, ignoring the fact that we're in a public place. Her legs go tighter around me, and her breathy moans are making me crazy for her, like no one else has.

I press my finger against the inside of her thigh and raise my head so that I'm staring into her eyes, which have gone hazy with dilation; desire. "You want this," I whisper, slanting my mouth over hers, and creeping my fingers up to the seam of her panties. I can't think, can't breathe, and my eyes are so unfocused from the world, fixed on Isa, on her soft hisses against my neck, on the thud of her heart, on her breath in and out, so frantic and needy for me.

All of a sudden, she pushes me off her, and I'm caught so unaware that I stumble back. Isa stands with her back against the wall, her lips swollen and red, her soft cheeks with a rosy undertone, her dress straps wrenched down her shoulders, and her hair so mussed she looks like she's just come out of my bed.

Blinking hard, I watch as she bends down to pick up her clip, and starts to walk away.

"Uh, Isa," I call.

She turns around and smiles. "Yes?" As if we hadn't almost had sex right there in the parking lot. In fact, not just sex, but fucking volatile, explosive, combustible, hot, I-need-you-right-now-come-my-sweet-lover-before-I-die sex. Like, blow the universe up sex.

Isa and Jared sex.

"What the _fuck_ was that?"

Isa's smile grows wider. "That was a taste of what you could have."

I sigh. "And why can't I fucking have it now?" She doesn't miss it when I shift uncomfortably.

Isa shrugs. "Because I have a boyfriend. Sorry." And then she turns away and clips away, pushing her dress straps up, and running her hands through her hair, as if we didn't just fucking do what we just fucking did. In _public._

The girl is crazy.

And once again, I'm left in the dust, with nothing but a hard on from hell from what could have been.

There's going to be hell to pay for this one.


	21. Regrets

**ANOTHER Update! Enjoy! :)**

Isa

I slide back onto my stool, a big smile on my face, when all I feel like doing is running back into his arms and making sure that he finished what we started, public place be damned. Which proves I've gone completely mad, because Jared is a jerk with a capital J.

But damn, can he make a girl go crazy. I hate him for that.

Mir's eyes glance over me, at my messy hair and pink cheeks, which deepen as her eyebrows raise. Over Harry's head, she mouths, _Good one. _I don't feel so good, though. I feel like I cheated on my boyfriend, even though Miranda assured me before we came here that it technically wasn't cheating because I have no feelings for Jared, and am manipulating his 'puny man brain' to make him pay for his little bet with his friend.

But it feels like cheating. Cheating is cheating.

All of a sudden, I feel sick, and I want to go home. Especially when Jared comes back a few minutes later, a smirk on his lips and his blue eyes blazing with something I don't even _want _to know what it is he's thinking.

The waitress arrives with our food, and places it in front of us. I don't even remember ordering. I look up quizzically, just as Miranda explains, "We ordered for you guys. I hope you don't mind."

"Nope, I could eat anything right now," Jared says, raising an eyebrow and casting me a sideways glance. I don't miss the innuendo. I don't acknowledge it either.

Miranda giggles and leans in towards Jared, touching the tip of his nose with a pink fingernail. "You're so funny." I roll my eyes and turn to Harry, who's looking at me.

"Babe, you okay? You look kinda sick," he says, his eyebrows furrowing. I feel so bad, and it seems like there's a fist crushing my heart when he looks at me, so concerned.

But I just smile. Who knew how hard this would be? "I'm cool. Here, let me feed you."

"Dude can feed himself," Jared pipes up, looking at me like I'm the weirdest person in the world. I shrug.

"I know. It's romantic if I feed him." My voice is shrill and defiant, and my moves are vicious as I lift up a fork and stab a tomato. "Open up," I croon and lean in towards Harry, who opens his mouth obediently, like a cute little puppy.

"Now it's your turn," says Harry, grinning as he spears a piece of pasta and pushes it to my lips. I open and run my lips along the tongs, looking at Harry as I do. His eyes darken.

I can't help but look at Jared out of the corner of my eye and he's watching us with a look on his face that can only be deciphered as very, very angry. Why's he so angry? I look at Miranda, alarmed, but she's glaring at us too, her face slightly forlorn.

"Aren't you guys gonna eat?" I ask, quietly.

Jared grins suddenly and it's almost like I imagined his anger. He's not angry. He's Jared, so calm and cool all the time. "Yeah. What is this?"

Miranda smiles, too, but there's something in her eyes that speak of sadness. "It's Steak venison. Try it, it's nice. Here, I'll take a page out of Harry's book." She takes a bit of potato on her fork and puts it to Jared's lips. He smiles and takes the fork out of her hand and bites.

"'S good," he says. "Tasty. Almost as tasty as you." He winks at Miranda, who giggles.

I turn away.

God, this is going to be a long night.

* * *

"It was a fun night," I say to Harry, who's parked outside my house. We're sitting, stationary in his revolver.

Harry nods. "Where were you while we were ordering?"

I almost choke on my spit and turn to Harry, who's looking down at me, quizzically in the dark, his eyes imploring and tired like I feel. "Bathroom."

Harry nods. "Cool. 'Cause Jared left, like a minute after you did, and..." He smiles. "Sorry, I'm getting all jealous and questioning. I don't want to be that kind of guy, you know?"

I feel like crying, I really do. How is it that some girls can ditch nice guys in a heartbeat for the bad boys? It's so wrong. Harry is the sweetest guy I know and my gut clenches at the thought of what I'm doing to him.

But I've started it, and I have to finish it. After I've ruined Jared, I can pretend like it never happened. We can go on to graduate from college, get married and have two kids- a boy and a girl. We can grow old together, and watch our grandkids grow up, without him ever having to know about this. I have my life planned out and it revolves around Harry and I _together. _That's how it should be, how it's meant to be.

So instead of responding, I lean in and kiss him. He kisses me back, running his hands through my hair. He doesn't wrench my rose clip out and throw it on the floor, or clutch me to him, like I'm the only thing he needs in order to breathe, or run his soft lips down my neck and breathe into my skin, or twine his hot tongue with mine and scour my mouth.

He holds me so delicately, like I'm made of porcelain, and presses his lips to mine, skims his hand down my waist. He's such a gentleman.

Unlike Jared.

Who I shouldn't be thinking of, damn it.

I close my eyes and breathe in, press myself against my boyfriend and try to drown into the kiss, but the only thing I can think of is that someone might be watching us. I clasp my eyes shut tighter, but when I breathe in again, I don't smell Harry's fresh, clean scent anymore. But the smell of spice, and aftershave and a hint of something else that I can't name, that belongs solely to Jared.

If wickedness had a scent it would be Jared's hands down.

My eyes snap open and I can't stop the tear fall. Thank God it's dark and he can't see. His lips are still pressed to mine.

I feel openly sick now. What is wrong with me?

_What is wrong with me?_

Damn it to hell.

I pull away and smile at Harry, hoping he doesn't see the tears.

He doesn't. He smiles down at me. "I'll see you tomorrow in English." I nod at him, unable to say anything, and turn to open the door.

I want him to pull me back to him, and kiss me like he should, making me forget about the world around us and everything in it. But, I've already had that kind of kiss tonight. And it's been delivered by the wrong guy. Not my boyfriend. But some jerk who asks out numerous girls to the same prom, is probably in a gang and will probably grow up to end up in jail or whatever. Just the people he hangs out with are scary.

I push open the door and run towards my house. I hear Harry reverse and drive off, completely unaware, completely clueless.

I push open the door, expecting the hallway to be empty, but instead, I see my brother, Jay and his boyfriend Dorian sitting on the couch, watching a GLEE re-run. They're curled up in each others arms, looking completely content with each other.

"Hey Isa. How was the date?" Jay asks, pressing the button for the recliner.

I can't help it. I burst into tears, so sudden and unexpected, poor Dorian looks alarmed at this turn of events, Jay even more so. "Sorry," I blubber out, feeling like a complete idiot. That's been happening a lot lately, what's happened to my self-confidence? "Don't let m...me ruin your d...date."

I turn run upstairs into my room and let myself cry it out. I remember my mom telling me that sometimes the best thing to do is cry it out, because it lets everything out into the open. She also once told me that peeing lets everything out. I stand up to go to the bathroom, to try that out.

Jay slips inside at that moment, and sits on the bed. I smile at him and wipe my eyes. "Sorry."

"What happened?" Jay asks, instead, cutting to it.

I sigh. "Nothing. I'm hormonal. You really don't want to deal with me, and would rather be off schmoozing the love of your life. Don't let me disturb you."

Jay shrugs. "Well, yeah, of course. But it's my obligatory duty to stick it out with you, before I can get to any schmoozing. Otherwise, I wouldn't be into the schmoozing and poor Dorian would think it was him with the performance disabilities."

I groan. "Ew."

"What happened? Tell me, come on."

So I tell him. Because he's my big brother, and even if he won't be able to help, at least it'll be out in the open. "Just, don't tell Mom or Dad," I finish. "Actually just don't tell Dad."

Jay looks at me, a dark eyebrow raised. "Wow, baby sis, you got problems."

I wince. "Yeah, I know."

Jay smacks me with a pillow. "I was being _sarcastic. _Your problems are puny little cockroaches compared to some teenage problems in America. 'Least you're not pregnant."

"Wow, you're a huge help."

Jay grins. "I'm not gonna tell you what to do, or say that it'll be alright." He pauses to think. "In fact, knowing you, this will probably end horribly. But just remember, you are in your _senior year_, which means if you do mess up and everyone winds up hating your guts, at least you only have..." he counts on his fingers, "eight months of tolerating them before you can go to college!"

He smiles down at me, satisfied, like he's just given award winning advice to the President or something.

I push him away. "Thanks for that pointlessness. Now go." But the truth is, I do feel better. Better enough to giggle, when Jay pretends to fall off the bed.

"Get some sleep," he says, as he reaches the door. "And don't _worry_ so much, yeah?"

I smile and nod at him. "Go. You have a boyfriend to schmooze."

Jay bows solemnly and exits with a wink. He's such a drama geek.

I sigh and fall back against the bed.

Maybe this will end up alright...or horribly.

I lean against my pillow and close my eyes, replaying that mind-blowing kiss Jared gave me, and praying that eight months would pass by rapidly.


	22. The Pummeling

**Hi! This update is dedicated to my awesome Beta, who I hope will be back to Beta soon and I wish her all my condolences on the things going on in her life and all the best luck on her nomination for the best Hunger Games fanfiction award! **

**Wittttthout much ado...(this isn't a very good update, because...well it's genuinely kinda crap and on top of it isn't beta'd so I'm really sorry about the awfullness!) :)**

Jared

_It's dark in the room. But the moonlight is the only thing that falls on her, illuminates her._

_Isa strides towards me- I'm reclining on a bed, laden in red silk, soft against my bare torso- wearing nothing but a silky black top which falls off one creamy shoulder, and highlights her golden hair. I swallow. Hard. Her golden legs are becoming. And fuck if I don't want to grab her, pull her on top of me and take her right there and then._

_She smiles, a stretch of those luscious red lips and my whole fucking body aches for her, pinpointing from one particular place in the groinal area._

"_Do you want me, Jared?" Her whisper is lost in the night, the ray of light making the dark of her eyes shine like swirls of jewels mixed with exotic chocolate._

_I almost groan, as she falls gracefully at the foot of the bed, comes to me on all fours, her sweet smelling hair falling around my face as she slides on top of me. She's so beautiful, I know this _has _to be a dream...one I don't want to wake up from. "I want you," she whispers. Pink, soft lips against my own, almost as if she's passing her words into mine, we're sharing our damn souls._

_I grin at that. She wants me. Of course she does. I'm the only guy who could handle a wily temptress like her and she knows it._

_I clench a fist in her hair and pull her head back. She moans, sensually, as I run my lips down her silky smooth jaw, down the column of her throat. Her own fingers trail into my hair, urging me on with those soft, breathy sighs and rocking her hips against mine. She smells like heaven, soft elderberries, the sweet perfume of her scent doing things to me that no other girl has managed so far._

_Why had I been with other girls, when this one was right in front of me? How long had we gone about our lives, without either of us even noticing that we were right there in front of each other? I was a fool._

_I hiss as her arms curve around my shoulders, my own hands roving down the curves of her waist, her soft, sexy movements sending me over the edge..._

_I gotta claim her lips, I need to. I push my mouth over hers, turn her over so that I'm on top and now I'm in control, reigning the hellfire that is Isa, thrusting my tongue in her mouth, our teeth clashing, our heartbeats mingling into one. Her hands are rested against my neck, pushing me down to her, merging us into one._

_I tear the front of the flimsy cloth open, as she pushes down the front of my jeans, and I'm hard as hell, ready for her, to be in her, to breathe in her sweet scent, have her surround me, claim her, forever so that no one else could have her, no other guy to see her like this, no other to rove his hands down her body and taste her mouth as I am doing..._

_She's mine and no one else's._

_Mine..._

"UNCLE JARE!" A podgy hand slaps at my cheek, as I sit up, instantly alert, and with a raging hard on that has nothing to do with the affects of this morning and everything to do with..._her._

I groan and rub my hand over my face, falling back against the pillows, as my two year old niece Sandi decides to climb on top of me, and giggle into my neck. I grin and tousle her blonde hair that she inherited from Rachel and look into those big brown eyes she got from Steve. Cherubic in appearance, devilish in attitude. Which, of course, she got from her Uncle Jare...

"Yes?" I say, looking down at her, raising a regal eyebrow. "Your Majesty?"

Sandi giggles and reveals the naked Barbie she was hiding behind her back. She now has one leg and her eyes are gouged out. There's also crayon drawn all over her boobs. I gasp in genuine horror. Fucking scary Barbie. I store the thought in my mind, telling myself to remember to throw the damn thing away..."Christ, that is one creepy doll you got there."

Sandi slaps me, right on the face. "Pretty!"

I wince. "Sorry, I mean she's very pretty. Real catch you got there, Sands." Checking the alarm clock on my bedside, I blink, startled. I'm early for once. Sighing in languor, I lie back against the pillows as Sandi walks her Barbie over my chest, bringing the toy into my face.

"Kiss it!" She demands. I wince and press my lips to the Barbie's smiling face. She smells like milk and plastic. Delightful.

"Mmmmm..." I wink at Sandi, who pushes the Barbie's head into my mouth, taking me aback and turning my previous statement into a choked, "ARGH!"

Rachel chooses this moment to walk in, her eyes widening as she takes in the sight of her baby daughter manhandling her teenaged brother by stuffing a Barbie doll into his helpless, choking mouth. One that smells of milk and plastic. "Sandi. Enough. Take your Barbie out of Uncle Jared's mouth and come with Mommy for breakfast." She holds her arms out and Sandi slides off the bed and crawls to Rachel, who picks her up, fluidly.

Rachel nods to me, stoically, but I can tell she's trying to suppress laughter, as I gag. "Get dressed. I've make waffles."

I roll my eyes and slide out of bed, but the moment distraction has left me, the dream hits me over the head like a two by four. Me and Isa. God. It comes back to me in vivid detail, making my heart beat faster and arousing what was my previous flaccidness...wait for it...there you go...Mini Me, wakes up again, sniffing for a piece of ass. _Isa's _ass.

I disgust myself, sometimes.

* * *

I slide out of my car, and start to walk towards school, trying to focus, completely on how I'm going to charm Isa. I have two weeks left until Prom and I don't have much of a fucking plan, except invite about half the population of girls at Fairfield High to go to Prom with me.

Who told me jealousy was the best policy again? Oh yeah, fucking _Ham._

I guess jealousy is the best way to go it, true. But only when you've fucking caught the girl's attention. Of course after our sexy little rendezvous in the parking lot outside, maybe I'm permanently fixated on her mind, like she is on mine...

Shit, I can't let her take over me. I sigh and slip my keys into the pocket of my jeans, my thoughts wondering to Isa's soft skin, and her long golden hair. I get hard instantly, and that pisses me off more than anything.

I'm _not _going to let the fucking bitch lead me around by the balls. Despite the fact that said bitch has the most beautiful smile in the world, and a sexy bod, and long, luscious hair I wouldn't mind seeing splayed out over my chest and clenched in my hands and pressed against my nose and swirling like a golden waterfall through my fingers...

No, Jared. Bad, Jared.

I'm so preoccupied by the sudden rush of images I'm trying to keep a reign on, I don't even realise it when I accidentally walk into some dude standing at the front of the gates.

I look up from where I'm musing on the ground, to face Teeny-Weenie. Also known at Harry, Isa's goofball boyfriend.

And he looks...mad.

I raise an eyebrow at his face. "Uh, do you mind," my voice is a slithering drawl. "You're blocking the entrance."

Teeny's eyes narrow. "You think you're the shit don't you? Think it's okay to be out schmoozing other guys' girlfriends?"

I'm not so much concentrating on Teeny's words, but the way his face is turning a mottled red. His head looks like a giant plum. It's fascinating to watch.

Teeny takes a step forwards, so that his plum face is all up in mine, and says, "Why don't you stick to your fucking gang and leave Isa alone?"

Okay, so now, I'm getting mad. "Isa isn't messing around with me, dude. And if she's interested," I shrug, "we'll then, I can't help my sexual allure. It's like a magnetism. It clings, man." I grin at him, and clap him on the back. "See you in English, my small-atanomied friend."

Teeny steps in front of me again, blocking my path. I roll my eyes, and all of a sudden, I spot Ham over his shoulder. He's grinning at me, making punching gestures. I grin back at him.

"What?" I turn back to Teeny and say, annoyed. "Is it with you, blocking people's paths?"

Teeny grunts, actually _grunts. _"You and me are gonna sort this out now and for all, Salisbury." And then he takes his top off. My eyebrows shoot up, and Ham- still watching from the end of the hallway- is now joined by Beck and a couple of other friends of mine. They're all laughing.

"I don't roll that way." I say, with sinister delicacy. "But you might want to tell your girlfriend about your new preferences concerning the fairer sex are no longer an attraction to you."

Harry rolls his eyes this time. "I'm not fucking gay, and stop trying to confuse me with all those words. I'm not stupid. I want to fight you." He smiles slowly. "Think you can fight with those fists of yours, word-boy?"

Word-boy? Is that the best he can come up with?

I sigh. "Fine, sure." And then I punch him on the jaw. He's totally taken aback, by the way he swings around, and falls against the lockers. A crowd is starting to gather.

I bow to them, as Teeny gets up, dazedly. They're all clapping and hooting, might as well give them a show.

Teeny charges towards me, his face mottled with fury. I side-step at the last minute, and he falls against the door. He's pathetic.

I see my friends come closer up the hallway, cheering and hooting.

Teeny turns around and steps towards me, rage clear on his face, now. Rage and determination. His fist comes towards me and I raise to block it, just as he kicks me in the groin. Full on, the bastard.

I curl in on myself. "Shit, that was fucking low." I hiss, rising to see Harry grin at someone standing in the crowd that's becoming larger and larger. It's Isa, I can see her through the corner of my eye. I can't see what she looks like, though, but I can guess it's probably anger. Yeah, my little spit-ball is probably furious right now.

I stand up and roll my eyes. "Low." I mutter, again, this time, seriously mad. I go for the whammy, learning how to fight and defend myself was key where I lived...with Gabe and in that neighbourhood. I punch Teeny on the head, and he falls backwards. Then I kick. Then punch.

The crowd is roaring now, as I shove Teeny's body on the floor for the final time and turn to take a bow behind him. I've learnt never to turn your back on your opponent.

Girls are running up to me, squealing, the dudes looking half-apprehensive, half-admiring. I've won the crowd over. Oh yeah.

Ham and Beck come running up to take my arm and hoot. "WINNER! YEAH BABY!" Quieter, Beck leans in to whisper, "Think about all the pussy you're gonna get now, dude."

I laugh, just as I hear the sound of the bell. The crowd dispenses as quick as it came, leaving me, my home-boys and Teeny lying there, like a heap of sugar. I turn to inspect my victory, when I realise he's not alone.

Isa is sitting on the floor with Teeny's head on her lap, stroking his hair back from his head.

I swallow, suddenly, and there's a buzzing in my ears, even though Beck and Ham and laughing and high-fiving over the buzz that just happened.

I can't take my eyes off Isa.

"Guys, go on to Homeroom." I mutter. Ham and Beck stop talking.

"Dude what 'bout you?" Beck asks. "You gotta revel in the glory man. _Revel!"_

"Yeah, I'll come in a minute."

Beck shrugs, catching sight of Isa and Harry and giving me a meaningful look. "Pussy." Is all he says, before dragging Ham to Homeroom with him.

I crouch down next to Isa. "Just so you know, I didn't start this. He did."

Isa says nothing, just strokes the blood off Harry's temple.

"You okay?" I whisper.

When Isa raises her head to speak, there are tears in her eyes. Oh shit. "No, but you should be. _Think about all the pussy you're going to get now,_ Jared." She whispers, her voice shaking as she mimicks what Beck said to me, obviously having overheard him. "You defeated him so effortlessly. And you won the crowd over in a heartbeat. If you already weren't popular, you are now. So go to Homeroom and enjoy the rest of your day. It's fine." She pauses. "Life is just so easy for you, isn't it?"

I blink, totally taken aback, as Teeny's eyes start to open. Isa immediately helps him up. I'm stunned, leaning back and staring at Isa as she mutters soft words to Harry. Something roils through me, turning my veins into fire and scorching me through.

I want her to hold me like that, whisper in my ear, stroke my hair back, tenderly, the way mom's are supposed to do to their sons. Not that my mom ever did anything like that.

_Life is just so easy for you? _I take in a deep breath, ready to tell her how utterly wrong she is about that, but at that moment, Mrs. Lekinson chooses to come.

"What happened here?" The teacher asks, hands on her hips.

I shrug, before Isa can say anything. "He fell and tripped over the wiring on the floor."

Mrs. Lekinson raises an eyebrow. "Hmmm. Okay, well, then, Miss. Fuentes, take him to the nurse, then, she can patch him up. Mr. Salisbury, stop hovering and go on to Homeroom, you're already late."

I nod and turn to class, where I'm greeted by almost everyone. They're all laughing and cheering, still fucking hyped about the win. That stupid fight.

But I can't get the image of Isa's tears out of my mind.


	23. Complications

**HI! Sorry about the delay in updating! I had quite alot of things going on...but I PROMISE I'll update more frequesntly! Hope you like this update and the way it's progressing. To tell the truth this is a bit of a filler, but I am working on the next one RIGHT NOW and that is defo not a filler! Please don't give up on the story because I don't update the frequently, especially during the school term, because I'll be doing my main GCSE's! I love your reviews and they help me through exams and stress! You're all so great, and I can't WAIT to write more about Isa and Jared!**

**God damn that's a lot of writing :) Gr8rockstarr, I hope your exams go AMAZINGLY!**

**KelsNicole, I hope you feel better, I honestly hope you get well again and I miss your amazing stories! :( PLEASE get better, because I genuinely miss you. But chillaz and take it easy first! CHIN UP! **

**That is all :**

Isa

I walk into English Lit with a smile on my face, holding Harry's hand as I do. Whatever. I don't care that everybody's completely fawning over Jared, more than they were before, which doesn't say much. Like I said, whatever...he's a bully.

I've seen Jared's true colours- and it makes me want to seduce him even more, just to see him fall flat on his ass. For once, he'll be the once, looking up at me through those spectacular blue eyes, filled with pain and heartbreak. I'm going to ruin him.

Harry looks so sad with his ice-pack against his head. He plonks down on his desk, and turns his head away when I lean in to say something. "Don't." He whispers. His voice is a mixture of pain and...guilt?

"Harry," I say, pressing a hand to his shoulder and leaning in to whisper in his ear. "It's okay."

"No, it's really not." Harry whispers, and now he's looking at me, and the guilt is apparent on his face. Why should he be guilty? The impact of Jared's fist against poor Harry's skull must have addled him, somewhat. "Isa, I made a mistake."

I kiss a bruise on his cheek. "It's not your fault he beat you up. He's a monster."

"No, Isa," Harry looks away, again. "It's not...it's not that. He's...Jared's in trouble—"

He's interrupted by the long, silencing strides of Mrs. Peterson. As soon as the woman walks into the classroom, everyone shuts up, and the crown surrounding Jared and his friends dispense as if they were a fog and Mrs. Peterson were the wind blowing them away.

"Alright, class, don't sit down yet. Mr. Karofsky, I said _don't _sit, thank you. I have made a seat plan for you, since Mr. Bannerjee won't be coming back to school." She raises her eyebrows in exasperation as she goes on to explain, "Whilst on his yoga retreat in India. It seems like some corrupt Swami led him to the Holy mountains promising a calm and quiet journey to self-peace and ended up stealing his money and pushing him _off_ the mountains down below, so, I'm afraid I'll be your substitute teacher for the rest of the year." No one speaks as we drink in this information.

Miranda, sitting behind me on a desk leans in and whispers, "Oh shit."

I can't help but feel the same way.

Jared puts his hand up. "Mrs. Peterson."

The teacher looks his way and raises an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Do you actually know anything about...well, English?" A few people titter at this.

Mrs. Peterson looks surprised at this question. Probably surprised at the rudeness of the question itself, although she shouldn't be. Jared says it like he does it, I guess. I grudgingly admire him for that, but tamp it down, before any more positive feelings about him rise to the surface. Like how he's the best kisser in the world, and how his deep blue eyes have the capacity to make me melt into a puddle of goo, or how his hands stroking down my body make me feel warm, safe and protected, and yet zinging like a live wire at the same time.

I almost groan as I squeeze my eyes shut and banish the images out of my mind. I. Am. Appalling.

"In fact, Mr. Salisbury, yes. I can speak the language sufficiently enough, thank you very much, and am very much capable of teaching it. Now, I've devised a seating plan..."

Everyone groans. Except me. I swear to God, I hate the woman's seating plans. They suck, especially since she's the only teacher that does them. But, morally, I shouldn't complain, since this exact type of seating plan devised by Mrs. Peterson herself, which incidentally produced me. Mom and Dad got together through Mrs. P's infamous seating plan, and so did Paco and his girlfriend, Juli.

So, yeah, I don't groan. But I am annoyed. Mrs. Peterson's lips thin into a straight line, but I spot a spark of amusement flash in those brown eyes hidden by thick spectacles, so sudden, I almost think I imagine it.

"Okay, here we go..." She rattles out the list. Miranda, of course, gets to sit next to a hot guy. She always gets the good ones...I drift off, and then realise my name has been called. "Isa Fuentes and Lucy Fielding." I sigh, letting out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding until now. What did I expect...that fate was really going to seat me next to _Jared?_

No way. It may have worked for Mom and Dad, Paco and Juli...but they were _meant_ to be together.

However, when Mrs. Peterson reads out the next two names, it seems the whole room stills. "Jared Salisbury and Harry Sweeney. Right there behind Lucy and Isa, please."

I suck in the breath I let out and tense, immediately. Shit. This is not good.

I guess fate hates me after all.

Jared and Harry sit: Jared, jovially, and Harry, miserably. I turn around, making it apparent when I flash Harry a supportive grin, and then turn back around, making sure my hair flips slightly. It should be good for the plan, my ignoring Jared, slowly driving him crazy with my hot and cold moods. Besides, that way I don't have to talk to him some days. Great. Perfect.

Mrs. Peterson nods, satisfied at what she's created...a clusterfuck if things go the way I'm sure they'll go, and says, "This is the seating arrangement for the whole year now. I'm not taking any objections. As I've always said, you'll deal with a plethora of people in life and have to learn to deal with them. If you like your partner, good. If you don't, good. You don't need to like someone to respect them, and I will not be tolerating disrespect from any of you." She casts a stern look around the class, lingering on a couple of students, who chuckle, non-abashedly.

Jared is one of them.

Mrs. Peterson continues into her talk and then starts to teach, making us all take out our textbooks and read an extract of _Jane Eyre. _After we're done, she gives us paper and tells us to write down the difficulties of love between Jane and Mr. Rochester illustrating the barriers which are broken towards the end and the differences between the two protagonists. I start to write, enthused.

Someone pulls on my hair.

I ignore Jared, and start to write:

_1) The difference of age between Jane and Rochester_

Another tug. I ignore him, gritting my pen, hard.

_2) Social backgrounds (she's a governess, he's a wealthy tycoon)_

_3) His worldliness and her innocent naivety._

He pulls back again and whispers, silkily, "I want to resume our make out session."

I freeze and turn to cast a glance at Harry, but he hasn't noticed Jared's words, diligently writing on the paper, his brows furrowed. I swallow down my remorse, shoot Jared a pleading look, mixed with warning and turn back to write.

_4) His crazy wife (Bertha Mason)_

"I'm serious." Jared whispers. "Meet me behind the pillars outside after school, and we can get some action going on."

_5) THE STUPID BET HE MADE WITH HIS STUPID FRIEND_

I freeze and look back and what I've written, chocking up. Shit. I scrape my pen over the words, hiding them, but that doesn't erase what I've written.

I take in a deep breath, turn to Harry and say, "Harry, do you have a pen?" Harry looks up, and gives me the biro next to him, smiling at me as he does. When Jared coughs, amused, he blinks hard, and looks down again. His eyes turn hooded.

What's going on with him?

I turn, slightly, glare at Jared and then nod. "Fine." I mouth.

Jared leans back, looking pleased. And why shouldn't he? He's got everything he wants, he's perfect and so's his frickin' life.

I sigh and lean back on my chair, praying for this day to end.

* * *

_Finally. _I sigh in resignation, relieved as hell when the last bell rings. I can go home for the weekend, and not have to face the school for a whole two days. I pull my bag strap on my shoulder and start to walk home. It's sunny, yet pleasantly cool, and I plug in my iPod headphones as I walk down the street.

Someone grabs my waist from behind, so suddenly, I scream.

Jared clamps his hand over my face, and turns me around so I'm facing him. "Calm down, sugar, it's me."

I roll my eyes and swipe his goddamned hand away. "I know it's you. God, what do you want?" Just when I thought my day of stress was over? Fate really does hate my guts.

Jared grins, cheerfully, but there's a shimmer in his eyes as he backs me up into the wall. "Our make-out session. You promised."

"Oh...yeah." I'm supposed to be seducing him. I'm doing a crummy job of it, but...

I sigh. "Give it to me, big boy." Close my eyes and purse my lips.

He doesn't kiss me. I open my eyes to see him looking down at me, oddly. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"

I blink. "Was that a compliment?"

Jared's grin becomes wry. "Why don't you tell me." His hand reaches up to caress my cheek, his fingers lingering against my skin, making it tickle, and sending jolts of electricity down my nerve endings, making me responsive to his every move. "You're skin is so soft." Fingers trail down my neck, and I almost moan at the feeling.

My lips part and I lick them, and say, "Get to it." My voice comes out croaky and hoarse ruining the menace behind the words.

Jared laughs. "Wow, that's real responsive. Such a turn on."

"If you're gonna stand there and act like a creep then do it. But don't waste my time."

Jared pulls me to him. "What is it with you? One second you're so responsive and willing, and the next you're like a fucking eunuch. You look at me like you wouldn't come near me with a ten foot pole."

I narrow my eyes and look right up at Jared, right into those smouldering blue eyes. "That was before you beat my boyfriend to a pulp."

Jared didn't miss a beat. "Fucker had it coming."

"No he did not!" I'm yelling now, affronted. "How dare you?"

"How dare I?" Jared sighs hard, as if he's suddenly tired from it all. I have no sympathy for him. Why should he be tired, he has nothing to be upset about. His life is set. "Sweeney knows I hate him. I don't hide behind his back and bitch about him. I make it up front."

"Where are you going with this?" I murmur.

"You have the audacity to tell _me _off for responding to a challenge your boyfriend set up? What if he had beat me up, would you have bagged on him? No, Isa, and you fucking know it. And, shit, woman, at least I don't fucking go around kissing and fondling other girls while I'm exclusive with someone like you do to Harry—"

I slap Jared right on the face, and tears come to my eyes.

Jared smirks, bitterly. "The truth hurts. And slapping me won't make the hurt go away. Fessing up will."

"You bastard."

Jared kisses me. Hard. So hard, my back presses against the wall, and my hands come up, ready to push him off me, but they seem to have a mind of their own, because, instead, they wind around his neck and pull him closer, so close, I want to make us one person.

Jared pulls away, distangling my arms. "Go home. I'll see you at school on Monday."

**Yeah, by the way there's a REASON Harry's guilty! **


	24. The Bullet

**Update! :)**

Jared

She's so confusing...so...wrong. And yet I can't deny that I want her. Which is healthy, right? But I don't count on the things that happen to me when I do kiss her. And it isn't all physical.

I walk down the street, completely immersed in what I'm thinking, which are thoughts of Isa, everything about her. I'm fucked, for sure, because every time I think about her, I feel right. And it shouldn't feel that way, because what I'm doing is wrong.

Damn it!

I sigh and lean back against the hard brick wall, scrubbing my hands over my face and trying not to think at all. Contrary to popular belief, though, it's fucking _hard_. My mind is reeling, and I feel vaguely ill, which is stupid, because the last time I was ill was when I was five.

Someone runs down the street and grabs me. My eyes open, immediately, and I see Harry Sweeney's panicked face looking right at me. He's breathing hard, and his eyes are popping like mad. He looks like a deranged frog. "What do you want?" I say, disgustedly, swiping his hands off me. What does Isa see in him? "Another pummelling?"

Sweeney shakes his head, so hard his hair flies around his face, his breath coming out in short puffs. Dude should be a bit more fitter than that, he's on the fucking football team. "Spit it!" I hiss.

"You gotta...run." Harry whispers. "Now. You're...in trouble, man. Run!"

I don't run. I just stare the guy down. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Chrys and his gang...the Latino Blood! They...want you in their gang. They paid me money to...you know what, now's not the fucking time, just run!" Sweeney literally grabs my arm and propels me to run down the street. I give him a glare, and then set off at full speed. I can run pretty fucking fast when I want to, all part of the package of having an abusive stepfather chasing you down the stairwell and back. You learn the fight/flight pattern pretty quickly.

There's a gunshot behind me, and a scream. Harry's scream. Idiot got himself hit. I sigh, squeeze my eyes shut for a second, and then turn back, running back to Sweeney, who's clutching his arm, blood trailing down the length of his flesh in shockingly alarming speed. "Idiot." I hiss, grabbing his arm, surveying the damage and then ripping off my t-shirt, stifling the wound, pressing the blood back in, while extracting the bullet.

"Ah, Jared. I thought we'd see you around." A voice comes from behind me, but I don't turn. I just sit there, like a duck, cursing enough to make the air around me blue, and pressing my t-shirt to Sweeney's fucking wound. He's slowly turning pale, and I can tell he's not used to this kind of thing, by the way he's blanching and wincing and moaning. Did anyone tell this boy that a bullet wound hurts like the fucking seventh circle?

"You're in good shape, boy. And your an even better fighter than we thought." Chrys says, stepping closer. The blue sky above has quickly turned gray, making Chrys' silhouette look eerily defined. "I'm afraid you have no choice, Jared. I want you in the Latino Blood."

I look up at the Gang leader, now, my eyes slitted. His blonde hair is dirty and his clothes are black, but other than that, he looks positively content. "How...?" I trail off.

Chrys smiles. "Your good friend wearing the bullet over here helped me a bit by challenging you to a modern day duel of sorts. I knew you were good, Jared. But I didn't know you were excellent. Your speed, your depth and you alertness. You're like a panther ready to strike and you don't know it. You can't let your talents go to waste, son. You gotta join this gang." I don't miss the ring in his voice, which gets lower and lower as he speaks. "Leave the boy. He'll be fine, it's only a skin injury, and come take a walk with me."

Okay, the dude's a lunatic. "It's not a fucking skin injury, and he's losing blood fast. I gotta call an ambulance." I say, through gritted teeth.

"I'm afraid not, Jared." Chrys says, forlornly. "He betrayed you. You betray him."

"He was never someone close enough to betray me." I hiss. All I can think of is Isa's face if she ever found out Sweeney died. She would break. And I'm not ready to find out why the sight of Isa falling in on herself with misery brings a pang to my heart. I don't even care about the girl, don't even know her. "I'm calling the hospital."

Chrys brings out his gun and aims it at Harry. "No you're not." He shoots, just in time for me to roll Harry's body away, shield it with mine. I'm going to die. I know it as soon at the pain comes, the gut wrenching feeling of something ploughing through my stomach. I feel hot tears run down my face. Chrys' soft voice, "If you survive this, Jared, then you're definitely an advantage to my gang. And you'll be in it before you can scream for your sake or Judas over here."

And then he's gone. Harry's lying on his side, sweat sheening his body, moaning lightly. I hoist myself up, gritting my teeth against the pain, and slip my hand into my pocket. I know who I need to call...the ambulance. Need to get to the hospital. I dial unconsciously, imagining images upon images of blonde hair, sparkling brown eyes, rosebud lips...it makes the pain less intense, less likely to send me hunching in on myself. Enough to make this phone call last another five minutes before I pass out or die...

"Hello?"

"It's...bullet wound. On 20, Hawthorne Drive. Need help." I hiss. I don't know whether I'm making sense or not, but my head is throbbing. Everything is throbbing, and I'm about to drop the phone.

"Jared?" The voice sounds alarmed, but it's soothing me, and I don't know why. "Jared! Are you hurt? Shit, okay, I'm coming. Hawthorne Drive, okay." There are murmurs on the other line. Words that sound muffled. The sound of keys being seized. "I'm coming. Okay, Dylan's calling an Ambulance, we'll be here in two minutes, just two minutes, I promise. Talk to me, Jared." She's speaking expertly, as if she's used to handling injured people. Maybe she is. I wouldn't know. I don't know anything about her, except that she's hot and takes English Lit.

"Jared?" He voice is edged on panic. "What's my name?"

I close my eyes, and imagine her. "Isabel...Fuentes."

"Good." Another muffled sound, and then low, urgent voices. "I'm on my way. Is anyone with you?"

I grit my teeth as a pang shoots through me. I spark of pain is numbing me, my fingers. "Yeah. Teeny."

If Isa doesn't understand, she doesn't say anything. I hear the sound of a car from a distance, the door opening, just as the phone drops from my hand. I hear her voice, the sound of footsteps. "Harry!" She yells, but she doesn't run to him. She runs to me. "Look after Harry. Celia, grab that cloth and press it against his wound." And then something is pressing my stomach, and the pain of that pressure is making me want to vomit, so I do. I throw up, and her hands are there, soothing, as she strokes my hair and whispers in my ear that everything is going to be fine.

I almost believe her.

Almost.

The sound of an Ambulance comes closer and closer, and my eyes start to close. Isa is talking to me in low whispers that I can't understand, but they soothe me anyway.

The last thing I see before I pass out is her face.


	25. Waiting

**Update! Sorry it took so long. Tomorrow, I'll be in Cyprus for a week, so I won't be able to update for that time. But I hope you enjoy this one, and don't think it's too much of a bore! Lol! :)**

Isa

"I'm sure he'll be fine, honey." Celia said, softly, her hand covering mine. I sigh and lean my head back against the chair. We're at the Hospital.

"How can you know for sure?" I ask, more tired than actually concerned for the answer.

Celia smiles. "Because Dylan was in this position, like three months ago. And if he was strong enough to recover, than so is Jared."

I sit up, then. "And Harry."

Celia coughs, slightly, into her hand. "Yuh uh. And Harry." I'm about to open my mouth and tell her what's what, especially get that cheeky tone out of her system, but Dylan comes at the last moment, with dad following his heels.

"What's goin' on, _hija?" _Dad asks me, his brows furrowed. "What are you doin' here?"

I blink. "What're _you _doing here?"

"We're here for your mom's ultrasound." Dad replies, smoothly. A little too smoothly, but whatever. It's obvious that after my freak out expression the day they told me they were having a baby, means that my parents are still cautious about my reactions around the situation. I guess they think I'm unstable.

Which I personally can confirm at the moment.

"Well a couple of my friends got shot, so Celia and I are here." I say, smiling. Dad blinks at me.

"Sh-Shot?"

"Uh huh."

"_Tio_ Alex." Celia interrupts. "Um, Isa's kind of in shock. Harry's actually one of the people that got shot." Her voice goes low, respectful. "And that boy that came round for dinner, Jared. So...she's sort of having a bit of a freak-out in her head."

Dad just nods, stoically, but I can tell by the frown on her face that he is not happy at all. I can't pin point why, because there are so many reasons for him to be mad, I guess. Maybe it's a mash-up of all things. I don't know.

When he voices his opinion on the matter, I know immediately what he's thinking. "You're hanging out with guys who are involved in gunfights?"

I blink. "I wouldn't call it..." I trail off weakly, biting down on my tongue, as Mom comes rushing down the Hospital corridor, clad in a Hospital gown. She looks worried.

"I saw Isa and Celia here, is everything alright, why are you guys here?"

Dylan puts his hand up before any of us can answer. "I'm here, too."

"Oh, hi Dylan, hon." Mom replies, absently, before looking straight at me. "Why are you here?"

"Mom." I say. "Shouldn't you be in the room, getting your ultrasound done?"

Dad's frown deepens as he runs his hand down Mom's arm. "Why are you out here, _Muneca? _You should be in the Hospital ward._"_

"I should," Mom says testily, "but it seems I'm not. I saw you guys sitting here from the glass opposite. Why're you here? Can I have an answer please?" Her voice gets shriller as she speaks, trailing upwards until I swear, only dogs can hear her. "Is anyone hurt? Is-?"

"Mrs. Fuentes!" A nurse comes bustling down the Corridor, scowling. "Please, come back, you ran out on Dr. Ward and...well, we need you back."

Dad nudges Mom on the back, gently. "Go one, I'll be there in a second. I'll tell you why they're here?"

Mom narrows her eyes at Dad. I don't know whether it's the confusion on her features, or her long blonde hair running down her back, like a golden weave, or the nightgown, but she looks young. And perplexed. Dad can't seem to resist kissing her on the forehead and urging her towards the impatient Nurse. "Go."

"You'll tell me why our daughter and niece are here?" Mom says suspiciously. Dylan coughs. "And Dylan, of course, who could forget Dylan."

Dylan snorts something that sounds like, "Damn straight," but could just be phlegm.

Dad chuckles, but his eyes are hard. "Yes, I'll tell you, go, before the Nurse bashes your head in."

Mom complies, giving me a warning glare, and turning on her heel and walking to the Nurse. I hear her say, audibly, "I ran away, Nurse _Cockledick _because the seat wasn't comfortable."

And the Nurse's reply, "Ma'am, it's Cockle_wick_..." Trailing away.

Dad turns in on Celia and Dylan. "Does Uncle Carlos know you're here, you two?"

Celia nods, Dylan just shrugs. "He doesn't own me, just 'cause I live with him." Dylan says.

Dad rolls his eyes. "Uh, that means he kinda does. As long as your living under our roof, you're a Fuentes. Why are you here, anyway?"

Celia answers before her boyfriend can. "We were helping Isa at aunt Nikki's shelter when she got the call. She needed our help."

Dad's eyes narrow, something that I swear he learnt from being with Mom. "Call?"

But at that moment, a Doctor walks up to us, looking grave. That doesn't mean anything does it? Doctors always look grave, right? It proves my theory right when he says, "Both boys are fine. They'll be dispensed in about a week or so. I say about, because it really depends on the recovery of their body's. A week is very hopeful, but they're both more than fine."

"Can we go see them?" I ask.

The Doctor shakes his head, ruefully. "I'm afraid not. They need rest and recovery. It was good of you to bring them here, but I feels it best if you leave for home now. There's a visiting hours schedule on the desk if you want one. We're contacting the boys' family now, so they're in safe hands, I'm sure."

I nod, and say thanks, as the Doctor leaves, but frantic thoughts are springing up in my mind. I know Harry's family, which consists of his Trophy wife of a Mom, his rich Dad and little brother, but I have yet to meet Jared's family. I contemplate this, trying not to worry, but worry pounces on me anyway, digging it's claws deep.

_What kind of a family is Jared's? A family that let's their son join a gang?_

And yes, I know it's hypocritical of me. I _know_ my dad's history. My uncles' history. I know they were in gangs. But they stuck together and fought against the oppression and all three of them came out victorious, because they had each other.

Does Jared have family who will look out for him? Stick their neck in the danger zone for him. His friends seem pretty loyal, but there's a niggling part of me that know, just _knows _that he hasn't told them much about his gang activity. And there's no doubt in my mind that this was caused by gang activity.

So why was Harry involved?

I moan and rub my hands over my face, leaning back against the chair. Celia pats my shoulder. "We'll stay with you."

"Does your dad actually know you're here?" I ask.

"Nope." Celia whispers.

Dad, who was just at the desk, turns so suddenly, I swear I can hear the crack of his neck. "Cecilia Victoria Fuentes, you sneaky liar." He hisses. "I heard that!"

Celia's eyes widen. "Shoot."

"That's it. You two are going home, now." Dad says. "Before I ring your dad up and tell him where you've been."

Dylan sighs. "Come on, Cel, the game is up. It seems we have lost this time. But never fear, we'll be back." I can't help sniggering at this. Dylan holds Celia's hand and they both start walking out the hospital, Celia looking back over her shoulder at me, mouthing SORRY. I wave at her, with a smile. If anything, I should be apologising to her for getting her into this.

Dad sits next to me. "You're a good girl, Isa." He surprises me by saying.

I lean my head on his shoulder. "Are we...finding out whether it's a boy or a girl." I say this, instead, because I don't really want to think about how Jared's in pain, right now, probably with a bullet struck into his chest. The Doctor said he's fine but—

_Shit. _Did my mind say Jared? Why am I worried about him, when I should be freaking out over the fact that my boyfriend is in there, with a bullet wound? God, I have to get my bearing straight, if I want to survive this whole thing, unharmed.

"Your Mom doesn't want to know. But I don't think I have the self-restraint. This is just what happened with the Twins and you. She would hold out the gender until you guys were born. I'm psyched to know..." Dad says, a gleam appearing in his dark eyes. I smile up at him.

"Me too. Let's ambush her now. Make her look at the charts."

Dad grins back at me. "By the way, this little distraction is clever, but not clever enough. I still want to know why you ended up here." He rolls his eyes at my comical pout. "Fine. I won't ask this time, because I trust you. I'll make up some story to your Mom. But I'll have you know you've slipped this much off the hook," He pinches his thumb and forefinger together.

I sigh. "Yeah, I know."


	26. Lunge

**So I read Chain Reaction...it was EPIC! Loved it, especially the EPILOGUE! EEEE! XD**

**Love Simone Elkeles. I totally cried at the end of the book, when It was done and dusted. Love the family bromance between the Fuentes Bros and the PANTY DISCUS SCENE was my favourite (one of my favourites, I also loveeed the scene where Mrs. Peterson answers Nikki's phone for her bikini wax appointment-classic!) Luis was such an intriguing character! Awesome end to an awesome series and I will deffo be reading the book over and over and over...:)**

**The epilogue has left me with some ideas for new fanfictions, and some awesome reviewers such as x2xJOJOx2x and teamdimitri14xoxo have offered me excellent suggestions which are already springing ideas in my head!**

Jared

"Go away!" I hiss, lifting up the thin cloth of the hospital duvet and throwing it over my head. "I'm mortally wounded!"

Beck's laugh makes my head throb. Is it too much to ask that people stop visiting every fucking minute of the day? Now, I know I should be grateful that I'm so majestically popular and shit, but really? Not even one second to myself?

Apparently not. Damn my wretched irresistibleness.

"Man, get that shitty rag offofyah head and show me some style, playa. You're a fucking hero." I hear Ham's voice ring through the small ward, and grimace. I know this, because people from school have been coming to visit all night, sending flowers and candy. Don't they know that right now the only thing that'd appease me- truly make me happy- is Isa Fuentes on a platter?

Okay, that sounds wrong. My brain is sending messed up thoughts, because now I can't help but think of Isa lying there on a plate of lettuce, wearing nothing but a bra and panties and it's turning me on like nobodies fucking business.

Beck snorts. "Well, I see someone's not so mortally wounded after all, to come play peekaboo with the sheets." Yes. I'm getting a hard on thinking of some girl as dinner. I'm just hungry.

And messed up. I can barely remember what happened the night before, but the sound of a gun echoes through my head. And a face..._his _face. Rachel, Steve and Sam had come to visit, too, Rachel's face was ashen with worry, and they- as well as the doctors and nurses- wanted to know what had happened.

So, I told them we were victims of a shoot and run. Everyone seems to believe the story that I ran in on Harry's bleeding form, and defended him from a drunken brawl involving rifles. The Police are on Hyper alert, and I haven't told them otherwise. Telling them would mean getting more people involved in this Gang business.

Rachel didn't seem to buy the story- I could tell the suspicious glaze of her features- but she complied to my pathetic excuse of hunger with a warning glare, and a promise that she'd be back in an hour with lunch. After that I hadn't really had much time to think over what had truly happened and what the consequences are for me now.

I also haven't caught any sight of Harry, but when I asked the nurse, she told me he was resting.

Backstabbing bastard.

"Leave me alone." I say, to my friends, once and for all.

The sheet is ripped off me, and I groan as Ham and Beck's grinning faces appear in my vision. "Fuck, I want to strangle you two." I hiss, from between my clenched teeth.

"There's the cheerful Jared we know and love." Ham chimes, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "We're here as your lackeys, dude."

"My what?"

"You lackeys." Ham says, slowly. "You know. Buff you up a bit. Make you look tougher than you are. Now, if you just lift that arm up of yours, so I can get to the bullet wound, tug a few stitches and leave a scar to attract the birds. Yah dig?"

I elbow him away from me, but I'm grinning too. "Fuck off, man. I got enough scars without the need of artificial ones. Besides, you'd probably infect me."

Beck laughs and claps me on the shoulder. "True that. I hear he doesn't wash his hands after shitting. You don't want those fingers near your heroic man-wound-"

There's a knock at the door, interrupting us, and Isa walks in a moment later. I almost blink twice, just to make sure I'm seeing her properly.

I know I called her yesterday when I was injured, and I don't want to get into the details of _why_, just yet. Of why, out of all the people to call, her number was the one I dialled. I guess I should smile, or say thanks or something, for her saving my life, but God knows what that would trigger her bomb.

Everyone is silent. I realise this and cough. "Uh..." I give Ham and Beck an awkward look. Beck nods and pulls Ham with him towards the door. Ham turns around once, behind Isa's back and winks.

I ignore him.

"Hey." Isa says, giving me a small smile. "You feeling alright."

"Me?" I say. As if she's fucking talking to anyone else. I sound like an idiot. "Yeah. Thanks to, ah, you."

Isa nods, slowly. "Yeah, you owe me."

I raise an eyebrows. Well, so much for the bomb trigger. Isa is a girl full of unexpected surprises. "Tactful, sweetheart."

Isa struts towards me and leans over until her face is right up against mine. "I'm not your sweetheart."

"You are ever since you saved my sorry ass."

Isa leans back. "I saved my boyfriend. Your sorry ass was an extra."

I cough, hiding my amused bark of laughter and turn my head away from her. "What do you want from me? A little one on one action once I'm better to repay your debt?" _Perfect _time to jump in and try to win the bet against Ham. "Maybe a quickie behind the school walls?"

Isa smiles, her full pink lips curving upwards into a perfect arch. "A quickie? With me? Sure that'd be enough?"

This girl knows how to play, alright. "How 'bout you come with me to Prom? Next week?" She laughs, genuinely, this time.

"A week? You think you'd be all patched up by a week? And that I'd be one of the millions of girls you're asking to the Prom? Wow, arrogance is a layer beneath you isn't it?"

It's my turn to lean in. "If I'm fine within a week, you come to Prom with me. And afterwards, you have sex with me."

The words come out in a rush, so quick and sudden, I don't have time to think them through. Once they're out, though, there's no taking them back. And there's no time in this life for regrets. Because now that I know I've got Chrys' gang after my ass, I'll be lucky if I get in without a scratch.

Or survive.

She starts to speak, but I interrupt. "No, don't mention those girls I asked to the Prom. They were to get you jealous. And it worked. You got jealous and now you're gonna say yes, because you want me."

Isa looks take aback. "No." She says, quickly. "Jared...are you...feeling okay?" She presses a cool hand against my forehead. "You're not running a fever are— Argh!"

I grab her arm and pull her on top of me. "Is. It. A. deal?" I whisper in her ear. "Or are you a chicken. Too chicken to handle me?"

Isa swallows. I watch her throat undulate, resist the urge to follow the movement with my lips, tongue and teeth. "Sex?"

"Sex."

"And if you're not fine?" I don't take Isa's cautious question as a penny on my side of the court. Isa is inquisitive.

But she can't resist a dare. Everyone knows her big brothers were the biggest daredevils of the school. She'll take it.

I'll heal.

And within a week, her coveted body will be mine. And so will the money.

There's a brief flash of something in my chest as I think of the videotape, but I squash it down and swallow down my reservations. I have no feelings for this girl. Feelings and I do not go well together.

"I will be."

Isa blinks and swallows. "I have a boyfriend."

I shrug. "Desire, babe. It's not lessened by right or wrong."

"I don't want you."

I smile and lean back against the headboard, crossing my arms beneath my head. "Oh yes you do. One night. One experiment. It's not like you're a virgin." I choke back the bile that rises in my throat at the thought of her expense, her violation.

But I have to...I have to do it, because money is money. And it'll do my already poor family good, getting money. I'm not turning into a gigolo. Just once. Just this once.

And I'm not going to deny that I don't want her. God, my body aches for her, I have fucking wet fantasies about her.

She's strong. She'll get over it.

Isa sighs, deeply. "No." She says it softly. And before I can say anything else, she turns around on her heel and walks away out of the room, leaving me staring after her.


	27. Warning

**Sorry for the short update, but I hope you like it anyway!**

Isa

I smile up at Mom and Dad and wait. Paco, next to me, is looking half wary, half excited. He's all sweaty from his Football training. He's working as the lead Quarterback for the Chicago Stars and has major important agents, accessing him.

Jay's on my other side, and half his face is caked in white makeup from his rehearsal of _Phantom of the Opera. _

I'm in between my brothers, sitting with my hands on my lap. "So?" I break the silence. "Is it a boy or girl, alien from Mars or what?" I know I sound impatient, but I'm seriously on a verge here, and I have extra algebra homework assigned by Lekinson, because apparently I have so much _potential, _I don't have any time for my other subjects, such as English (in which Mrs. Peterson gave us two lots of essays to do in the span of a week, which I haven't touched).

"We...didn't ask." Dad says, in a choked voice.

Jay intervenes. "Mom, I think you're crushing Dad. You should get off him."

Mom laughs. "Nah, I just won't tell him the gender."

Jay blinks, hard. "You know and you won't tell?"

Mom blushes. "Nope. I peaked when the Doctor wasn't looking. It was terrible of me, I know, but I couldn't resist!"

"Mom!" I say, outraged.

Dad rolls his eyes, apparently recovered. "Don't bother: she's not tellin' anyone the gender of the baby. Although I think the _father of the child_ deserves to know." He mutters, disgruntled.

Mom just clutches his hand and smiles, mysteriously. "In another seven months maybe..."

Paco groans, but he's grinning. "That's so long away."

Dad tickles Mom, and she giggles. "No!" She squeals, "You can't tickle this out of me, Alex!"

"Oh yes I can!" Dad grins, wickedly, and without another word, picks Mom up and carries her out of the room, leaving us blinking at them.

Jay rolls his eyes. "Whatever. That was a completely pointless meeting."

Damien, Jay's boyfriend, walks into the house, swinging the house keys and completely shocking me and Paco out of our wits. "What was completely pointless?" He asks, sitting down next to Jay.

"Dude!" Paco grits out. "How'd you get in?"

Damien looks up at Paco, shocked. "Jay gave me the keys to the house!" He leans back and switches on the recliner, next to Jay's. "What was completely pointless."

"The meeting we just had. Our parents are sex crazed freaks." As if to compliment my words, Mom gives off a giggly-shriek from upstairs in the bedroom, and Dad's wicked laugh follows.

Paco shudders. "Old people sex." He gets up to grab the remote.

Damien pats me on the shoulder. "So, Isa. How is your relationship with sexy guy Salisbury going?" He winks. "Jay tells me he's getting you frustrated."

Paco puts his feet up on the stool in front of him and turns the volume up, louder. "I don't want to hear about this."

"Wow, Paco," I say, peevishly, "it isn't as if you and Juli don't make your own sex life apparent whenever she comes over for the night."

Paco grins, and tousles the back of his hair, boyishly. "Oh yeah."

Damien continues speaking, importantly. "All you have to do is keep the lucky boy on his _toes." _

I raise my eyebrows. "Um...okay. But I already have a plan to make him fall flat on his face, Damien. I'm going to make him fall in love with me and then reject him."

Jay furrows his eyebrows. "Why would you do that. It seems a little cruel, don't you think?"

"Not as cruel as making a bet with one of your friends to have sex with a girl, videotape it, and show everyone!" I shoot back.

Paco stills, dangerously, just as Jay chokes on his own spit and Damien gasps. I know I've made a mistake, especially when Paco's gaze drops from the players on the TV screen to my face, his blue eyes blazing with fury. "What?"

I swallow. "It's nothing."

"That motherfucking prick." Jay snarls, looking scary-furious. It's the first time I've seen him this mad. My eyes widen and meet with Damien's own.

"Honey," Damien says, cautiously. "Calm down..."

"No way." Jay snaps. "Am I going to stay calm. Isa, how do you know this?"

I look down at my lap. "I overheard Jared laughing with his friend over it."

Paco grins, but it's not an amused grin, but feral. He looks like he wants to use Jared as a punching bag. Which is not good, because Jared's in hospital and...who am I kidding, I don't want Jared hurt. I curse myself at the notion, but I can't help it.

The image of Jared's face screwed up in pain, his teeth gritted, the image of his hand clasped over his bleeding wound, makes my heart sink.

"I'm gonna kill him." Paco says. "Where does the fucker live?"

"I'll come with you." Jay adds.

"No..." I mutter. "This is my war. I've planned out my revenge." I look up at my big brothers. "it's okay, I shouldn't have told you guys."

"Shouldn't have..." Paco spits out, "Hell, Isa, he's going to screw you and treat you like complete shit! I think the dude needs to be acquainted with my fist!"

"No." I say, firmly. "You are not going to beat Jared up. If you do, I'll...I'll...never speak to you again!"

Paco rolls his eyes. "Nooo...the horror." But he's calmed down, and is leaning back against the sofa again. The warning glint in his eyes, though, is still there. "Isa, if that guy thinks he can get into your pants, because of a bet...then he's not worth any of your attention. Revenge is out of the question. Stay away from him."

I nod, and smile. "Of course."

"If he has such little respect for you, don't even look his way." Jay says, anger brimming in his voice. "And if something like this happens again, you won't be able to calm me down from ripping the guy's entrails out."

"It's okay." I assure my brother. "I won't get involved with him."

And it's the truth. I only hope I can stick by it.


	28. Threatening

**I honestly have no good excuse for the delay except to say school has started (cue evil music) and Year 11 is a scary place to be. I don't think I'll be able to update as frequently as I used to, but I definitely will try! I won't stop writing for the world, though, and I love the reviews you guys send me! You're all awesome and mean the world to me! :)**

**(See how I smoothed over my prolonged update? See? See...? ;)**

Jared

It's the day after my dispense—to be exact, one day before Prom.

The whole school has lost it, I swear to God, you'd thing people would have flyers extending out from their asses, the way they're running down the hallways, yelling something to do with Prom, or the other.

Numerous girls have stopped by me to sort out the arrangements for Prom—what time I should pick them up, whether to wear a corsage, dinner reservations. They all look up at me like the sun is shining out of my ass crack, and it makes me want to slap someone. What the fuck was I thinking asking out all those girls to Prom? I'm screwed.

I take in a puff of my cigarette at lunch, and lean back against the Fairfield courtyard, thoughtfully. Beck is next to me, along with another dude, Jamie, and Gabe. They're all talking about Prom, too, although it's not exactly centred around the topic of the dance as much as...

"Dude, tomorrow is the _day. _I'm totally gonna get Regina Millers so hammered, she'll blow me." Gabe says, gleefully stubbing out his own cigarette and grinning like he's declared world peace for everyone.

"You're sick, bro." Beck says, around his own fag, his dark eyes scanning the courtyard instead of us. They settle on something, and he leans back, appreciatively and whistles under his breath. I crane my head and catch sight of the object of his affections, almost doing a double take when I see that he's got his eye on Miranda Flewitt.

I raise an eyebrow and look right into my friend's eyes. "Whatcha lookin' at?" I wheedle.

Beck doesn't take his eyes off Miranda. "The prize, man."

I laugh. "Good luck scoring _her_ ass. She's Isa's friend."

"And? Dude, just 'cause you're fucking around her friend means you're ruining my chance at scoring Miranda? Hell no. You're enhancing it."

I shrug and don't question his logic anymore, although I sense more than a few holes in it. My throat refuses to tighten at the thought of Isa ever finding out what I've planned for her. She has a loving family that cares for her. I have Gabe. Yesterday, I swung by his house to check on Mom and he interrogated me on the doorstep about the gang. When I told him I wouldn't join, he socked me in the guts, making me vomit on the doorstep. The bruise is apparent, and every time I look at it, an ugly jolt passes through me.

I bet Isa has a perfect life.

Although...

Maybe she doesn't. I've seen a taste of her life, the difficulties she's experiencing with her aunt being ill. Yesterday, Miranda told me that her Mom's pregnant, which may be great, but I get the feeling Isa feels uncomfortable about it. I've seen a caring side of her, when she held me after I got shot, specially took time out of her schedule to visit me in the Hospital. Hell, I even spotted her tutoring a bunch of Maths Geeks after school hours in the old classroom behind the school. She didn't notice me watching her, but I couldn't take my eyes off her; she had never looked more beautiful to me.

It wasn't like she was dressed up. In fact, the opposite. Her blonde hair was pinned up in a messy bun at the top of her head, she had a pen stuck through the knot. She wore cargos and black, tight fitting tee which hugged her soft, delicate curves. Her sneakers looked worn. She looked completely delectable, hotter than when she wore clothes that were specially made to accentuate her features.

"Yo, Jare. Is there a chance we get to see Isa wearing nothin' but some sexy lingerie in that la la land of yours?" Jamie interrupts my thoughts by saying.

I shoot him a death glare. "You better not be thinking 'bout her in that way, or I'll kill you, man."

Jamie laughs, as if my threat wasn't serious. "Yeah, right man. Whatever. Let's just say, after you're done with her, she'll be needing some serious hunka hunka in her life to recuperate over the fact that you dumped her on her half-Latina ass. Enter: Me."

I don't say anything after that, because I'm too busy imagining him kissing Isa, holding her, touching her everywhere, and it makes me sick. I want to punch something, hurt someone, because there's no fucking way in hell I'll ever have a chance of being with her after this.

What am I saying? Not that I want to...

As if by magic, at that moment, Isa and her friends—some of them girls and some, jocks—slip out into the courtyard, carrying lunch trays. They're all laughing, looking happy, and content as if they've just slipped out of a magazine. My gaze slips over all of them and stays on Isa. She's holding Teeny's hand. I remember, he got discharged a day before me.

Maybe it's time for a little interrogation. Teeny himself catches sight of me, and swallows hard. His curly brown hair falls flat on one side and his eyes are too bright for his pale face. He looks awful.

I smile, stub out my cigarette and push off from the tree to saunter over to him. Everyone stops talking the moment they see me walking towards them. Isa's lips tighten, her smile disappearing into a stern scowl. Teeny's face pales even more.

As it should. I fucking saved his worthless ass. I wonder if Isa knows that her boyfriend is in league with the biggest gang in Chicago, next to Freemont 5. Probably not. In her eyes the sun shines out of her boyfriend's ass, right?

"Heya, babe." I smile down at Isa. Teeny pales, and clears his throat. I interrupt him, smoothly. "I know what you're going to say, man. You're going to say, _Hey, wait a minute, buster! That's my girlfriend you're calling babe there. _To which I will reply with two words. Fuck. Off. You will then retreat with your tail between your legs. Clear, or you wanna add something else?"

Harry nods. "Yes. Go die in a hole."

I smile down at Teeny. "Now, Mr. Weenie, that's not nice, is it? Considering I saved your skinny, white ass down there in the alley when you were..." I trail off and look down at Isa, who's glaring up at me, eyebrows raised.

"Continue." She says, her lips pursed. "Or have you forgotten something behind by the tree you were skulking near before you came here to mess with my boyfriend?"

I grin, because she's left me an opening a mile long. "Doesn't it bode well that your boyfriend lets himself me messed?" I lean down to her level and whisper in her ear, inhaling the soft, sweet scent of her perfume and wanting to bend my head just a little more so my face can be buried in the crook of her neck and I can brush my skin against those heavy tresses. "You need a man, Isa. Not some jock with hair that looks like it's been professionally permed by Yolanda down in SAKS."

She smells like peaches and mint.

She shoves against my chest. "Get off me, before I punch you!"

I back away, only to glare back at Harry, who's less enticing than his girlfriend. But someone I need to talk to. "Well," I say, frankly, "business before pleasure, I guess. I gotta talk to you, Sweeney. Now."

"Who says I want to talk to you, man?" Teeny says, his voice clear, and confident enough. God, it's like watching a kid try to dress up in his dad's Navy uniform, or something. False. And cute. And a little more than amusing.

My eyebrow shoots up, and I motion for him to follow me. Turning towards the courtyard exit, I turn once, shoot both of them a crooked grin, and look right at Harry. In one quick second, I put my index finger and thumb at right angles and pretend-shoot Teeny.

Then I turn around to leave, letting it rest in his hands. Sure enough I hear Isa's voice.

"What are you doing, following him? He's just a bully!"

And Teeny. "I'll be back in a second, babe. Just gotta settle something. Don't worry, he's all talk."

I am? Wow, that's a shocking revelation from a guy that challenged me to a fight and ended up falling back on his ass.

I wonder if Isa has fun pussy-whipping her boyfriend.

I lean against the doorway of the canteen's back exit and shoot Harry a wicked grin, while I take out another cigarette, light it and inhale.

"You're sick taking those things into your lungs." Teeny says, disgustedly.

I grin around the cigarette and blow a puff of smoke in his face. I don't tell him that I don't take the smoke into my lungs. "You, man, don't know how to have any fun."

"And you're a bastard. Stop chasing after my girlfriend."

So he finally figured out I was chasing her tail? "Took you long enough to figure it out. But, anyway, enough about me, I feel like a selfish bastard. What I want to know, man, is why the fuck you were spritzing around the alley when Chrys shot me?" I chuckle, but the sound is bitter even to my own ears. "I mean, I know the answer, but I want to hear it in your own words why I shouldn't rip you to shreds."

Teeny swallows, and I follow the movement with my eyes, puffing smoke out of my cigarette in one big exhale. "Yes?" I say. "Waiting."

Finally he speaks. "I...I was forced into the gang, okay? Just like you?"

I pull out the stub from between my lips and blow out, tilting my head to the sky above. "I'm not goin' for the sympathy ploy. I know you joined of your own accord. Wanna know why? Because you're a crap fighter, that's why."

Harry stands up straighter. "You don't have to believe me."

"I don't."

"But I was forced. Into trying to get you in the gang. Chrys...he told me to challenge you to a fight so he could see how well you could throw a punch. Okay?" Teeny says the words in one great big jumble, but they rearrange themselves in my brain.

"You let me win?" I say, carefully.

Harry swallows again. "Well. No...but Chrys was watching the fight. If you don't believe me, then whatever. It's not my problem."

"Oh but it is." I say, my voice lowering, dangerously. "Because of you, me and my family are in shit. And because of you I'm currently being recruited into one of the biggest gangs in Chi-Town."

Teeny's eyes narrow into slits. I drop my cigarette and press the toe of my boot to stub it out. "I wouldn't have thought you minded much, being in a gang."

I laugh. "Oh I mind." I step past him, and almost send him hurtling into the doorway. "You might wanna watch your back, Jock boy. Because I do a mean revenge."

And scoring Isa is one of the best revenges I know.


	29. PROM

**Uodate! Lord have mercy! :P**

Isa

Prom Night.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror, admire my long blonde curls falling down my back, loose tendrils falling artfully around my face, the creamy dress which falls down to my knees, my pretty high heels, strapping around my calves. I look good.

The doorbell rings, and I check the clock, almost mechanically. It's seven o'clock. Harry's on time. Slipping downstairs, I pull open the door, just as Mom and Dad come swarming into the Hallway, big grins on their faces, and cameras clicking away. They're like great big lions pouncing on me. One lion, pregnant, and the other...Mexican.

I almost smile, and Harry, standing at the door, with a smile on his face. He looks amazing in his tux, his curly brown hair tousled, expertly, a bunch of flowers in the hand that's not in his pocket.

"OH WOW!" Mom shrieks. "Oh, I'm so excited, oh you two look so great together! Here, Alex. Hold the camera, so I can hug them."

She shrieks again and runs over to us. It's weird, because her stomach didn't seem as big before as it does now. Which is kind of depressing and kind of exciting at the same time. Finally, when I can't breathe, I gently coax Mom off us and cast Harry an apologetic look.

Dad looks highly amused, and starts clicking the camera. Mom swats at his way. "Don't take pictures now! I'm crying!"

I look up at her and see that she is crying. Tears are welling up in her big blue eyes. I laugh, nervously, and hug her. "Aw, Mom, don't cry. It's just prom."

"My baby!" Mom says. "You're so grown up!"

I sneak another glance at Harry, to see him looking at my Mom, as if she's a giant inflated bug. "She's pregnant." I whisper through the corner of my mouth, a little irritated at his gorming. I guess I'm just a little high strung, but I don't like his detached manor around my family, as if they're below him, although he knows that they're respected scientists, and Mom even has an extra job because of her passion towards fashion; her magazine is one of the top ten bestsellers of the country.

"We should get going." I say, trying not to grit my teeth. I'm feeling more emotional than I should—hormones are my guess. But, that may just be a scrape goat for what's really going on...

I shake my head, and follow Harry to his car, smiling at the sleek black Mercedes-Benz. It's familiar...safe.

Harry gets in the Driver's seat and I slide into mine. As soon as we're in, he takes my hand and smiles at me. "You look beautiful tonight."

"Thanks." I say, beaming back at him. The rest of the journey is spent in silence, and for some reason, this gets on my nerves. I want to break the silence, and all of a sudden, I'm hot and uncomfortable.

"You okay?" Harry asks, catching on.

I nod and smile, although that feels like the last thing I want to do. I want to...say something. We're sitting in this car and have nothing to say to each other. It doesn't seem like a date, it seems like a chore we have to do.

"So," I say, almost desperately. "How's life been?"

Harry sighs. "Good. Although, Soccer practise is a bitch."

I laugh, although it's not really that funny.

"You?" Harry asks.

It's my turn to sigh. "Harry..." I pause and remember something that I've been meaning to ask him. "Hey do you remember two week ago?" My voice is almost tentative.

Harry raises an eyebrow. "When I got shot? Yeah."

"Why?" I clear my throat. "I mean, why were you there."

Harry chuckles and runs a hand through his curly hair, although I detect a hint of nervousness in that laugh. "Why are we even talking about this?"

He's right. But, I'd rather talk about something. "No reason. Just wondering."

He squeezes my hand. "I was walking down the street and some crazy bastard shot at us. That's it. No big deal. He's probably in Jail, now."

Now that I think back, I don't remember a Police Investigation on anything. How could he be in Jail?

I shake that worry off and try to focus on the night. When I look up from my lap, I realise that we've arrived. Blowing out a rough breath, I smooth my dress down and try to calm my frazzled nerves, smile wide at my boyfriend when he comes round to open my door, and gallantly help me out of the car.

We walk to the door of the Auditorium, hand in hand, and as soon as we get to the hall, my thoughts are quickly blasted away by the music.

"Let's dance?" Harry asks, pulling my hand. I smile and nod, let him lead me to the centre, and we move our bodies, together. He's a great dancer, and we jam to the music. I almost lose track of time, but before I know it, the fast songs are over, and a heart-chilling slow song comes on. Harry pulls me to him, and I lean into his warmth.

How could I think ill of him? I love him. I sigh and lose myself into his arms.

Well, I try to.

Of course I have to look up. And catch sight of Jared kissing Mindy Parker a foot away from us.

That's when I get mad, and start to pull away from Harry. His mewl of protest is drowned out by the roaring in my ears.

I grab my skirts and walk towards Jared and Mindy, reach them, and pull his roughly away from her. She ends the embrace with a squeal, Jared makes an annoyed sound at the back of his throat and turns to me.

"What?" His blue eyes are boring into me. God, I hate him.

"What?" I'm incredulous. "Is this one of your dates?"

Mindy clears her throat. "Um, I'm his _only_ date. Now, please go away."

"Liar." I hiss.

Jared rolls his eyes. "Actually, she's telling the truth. I backed out of asking all the other girls, and decided to take one particularly special girl out." He beams at Mindy, who looks as if she's about to pass out at the effect of his smile.

I poke him on the chest. "You. Are. Such. A. Liar!" My teeth are gritted together. "I hope you rot in hell?"

Jared gives me a queer look. "Are you alright?"

"Fuck you!"

He grabs my arm and starts to pull me away, ignoring Mindy's stuttering, "Where're you going?" and my outraged hiss.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask, loudly. "I have a date back there!"

"So do I," Jared states. "Maybe you should have thought of that before you started attacking me." He stops in a long, abandoned hallway, in the middle of God knows where, and suddenly I realise I'm alone. With a Gangbanger.

I've never been scared of Jared until right this moment.

Swallowing, and trying not to show my fear I look up at him, chin raised in defiance. "What?-"

He kisses me. And all of a sudden, every thought I've harboured in my head disappears just like that, and my anger and fear have dissipated. My arms twine round his neck and he pushes me back against the wall, giving me leverage to hoist myself up.

He steps back an inch, so I can clambour up him, and wrap my legs around his hips. I can feel him against me, and there's only the soft fabric of my underwear preventing him from doing to me what I want him to do to me.

His lips trail down my neck, sucking on my skin, until I'm gasping in his ear and letting off breathy moans, and wondering, absently, why I don't do this all the time. His hands slide up my thighs and higher, and I can't speak, because a thousand black dots are dancing in my vision.

"Beautiful." He whispers.

I summon enough thought to ask him one thing. "Why were you kissing her?"

"She's my date." He breathes his lips grazing my cheek, and then my own mouth, again and again, until my own lips feel swollen. "Just like Teeny's your date."

I have no idea what he's talking about, and open my mouth to say so when all of a sudden someone clears their throat and I almost leap out of my skin.

Jared falls away from me, and I slide down the wall, turn my head to see Harry staring at us, his mouth open, and the look in his eyes, completely and utterly broken.


	30. Blackmail

**Wow it feels good to write Jared. I've written the word 'fuck' about eight thousand times. Yay!**

Jared

Tonight is the night I'm going to fuck Isa Fuentes and she is going to _love _every second of it.

If only her fucking boyfriend wouldn't get in the way of things, I could make some headway. But no, he's staring at us—well her, now—like some heartbroken puppy. Need I remind him that I saved his life and that if I hadn't bothered to turn back and help the idiot, like the kind motherfucker I am, he wouldn't be here, staring at Isa like she caused the ultimate betrayal.

But the person I'm most disappointed in is Isa. Because she's looking so goddamned guilty. I want to kiss the guilt off her, make her regret ever wanting the little dickhead standing in front of us. I've got the camera in my pocket and I'm ready to...

To what? Film her and me having sex.

I was ready to do it earlier tonight.

But, now...looking at her face, her creamy golden skin, her soft blonde curls falling down the curve of her back, her sexy dress, her red lips, her dark, expressive eyes, everything about her makes me want to get down on one knee in front of her, hug her to me, and confess everything that I've done wrong.

Including this one thing I'm going to do which'll be the wrongest of the wrong.

And then I kissed her. My lips met hers. And her soft, compliant body wilted in my arms, and her skin felt so good under my lips and fingers. I want to strip off that dress of hers and kiss every inch of her.

Which is wrong. So fucking wrong. I shouldn't want her this much.

Maybe after tonight, I'll get her out of my system.

Without even listening to what they're saying, I drawl, "Well, well, Sweeney. What a surprise, would you like to join us?" Making Isa and Teeny shut up and look at me. And damn it if Teeny looks murderous, then Isa looks like she's ready to rip my heart out and eat it. Then dance around my dead body.

Teeny strides up to me, getting all up in my face. "Ima fucking kill you, Salisbury."

"Nor you're not." I say, coolly. "You're going to come with me." And then I push him towards the door, turn around over my shoulder and give Isa the my best wicked grin. She blinks, eyes wide.

"Don't finish the job while I'm done, sweetheart. I want those honours."

I narrowly avoid having a garter thrown at my head.

Harry turns to glare at me, his brown eyes narrowed to slits. Before I can do anything, he punches me. The pain is blinding, and I swear to fucking God I see stars.

When he goes to punch me again, I grab his hand and shove him back. "You fucking bastard." He snarls in my face. "That's my girlfriend."

Not if I have anything to say about the fucking matter.

"No dickhead." I shoot back, rubbing my jaw and staring at him through narrowed eyes. "Not tonight."

When he starts to protest, I smile slowly. I keep smiling until his voice trails off on a profanity. "What?" He snaps, but there's a tired look in his eyes.

"I could report you."

Teeny impresses me, then. He rolls his eyes. Way to throw a move back on a guy. "You don't have the balls."

"I'll fucking report your ass." I warn. "And you'll go to jail."

"I'll get bailed out." Teeny shoots. His eyes are shuttered.

Time to go in for the kill. "Yeah. But aren't you working on a football scholarship for college?" I don't need to say anything else. The guy knows football's his life. Knows what could happen to him if his credentials got fucked up.

"I hate your ass." He hisses at me. "If you touch my girlfriend..."

"Yes, yes. I'll give her a good time." I say, absently, and then suppress a grin when Teeny's face goes red with rage. "Now go tell her how much you hate her, so she can run into my waiting arms."

"You're a fucking bastard, Salisbury." Is it me, or does he seem not as upset as he should be? If I were about to lose Isa...

...I wouldn't care.

I break off my whirling thoughts and watch as Teeny goes up to Isa and starts to talk to her. I watch her face, her expression unchanging. Watch as Teeny turns on his heel and walks away. Isa's arms are still crossed.

As soon as I walk into the corridor, she charges towards me, jumps on me. I wait with open arms. But instead of kissing me, senseless, she starts attacking me.

Her blows aren't nearly as bad as my friends' and I can take them without wincing, but she has got a mean hit and I know I'm going to ache in the morning.

"What. Did. You. Do. To. My. Boyfriend?" She screams.

I pick her up by the waist and kiss her, push my lips over hers and she stills for a second, before turning into the shrew from hell, again.

"Fuck you!" She snarls against my lips. "Get off me so I can kill you."

"Then you won't know what I did to your boyfriend." I breathe against her lips.

She shudders. I smile against her mouth, as she tries to stop the tremor shaking her body at the touch of my skin to hers, but it doesn't work. And it's too late.

I have an effect on her.

And I'm going to use it to my advantage.

I grab her arm, pull her into the nearest closet and lock it.

Then I turn to her, and narrow my eyes. Her back is against the wall, her eyes wide, but there's still tracings of anger in there mixed with desire.

"I hate you." She whispers.

"How much?"

"Too much." And then she makes the move, walking up to me.

I'm watching and waiting for her to make her move. And when her lips touch mine, I almost explode with desire.


	31. Tragedy

**I know. I suck.**

**I actually went on holiday to India for two weeks! But I'm so sorry for the delay, and have been meaning to get this chapter up! :) I hope you enjoy it! Sorry it's so short, but, I'm going to get the next one up now that things are going good! **

Isa

I kiss him hard, and let the effects wash over us like a giant wave. I've been taking his kisses for granted up until now, because as soon as his lips touch mine, everything explodes in a second, leaving fire in its midst. I sigh against his mouth, lose myself in the moment.

But I can't forget my plan, as much as I want to.

He cups my head in his hands, and presses me to him, grinding his body into mine, and dammit if I don't want this as much as he does. I almost groan, have to clamp my lips together to stop the sound escaping.

I'm about to reach for the doorknob, kick him in the shin and run, but all of a sudden, my cell rings. Wrenching his mouth from mine, and swearing under my breath, I push Jared away, only to have him come up behind me and brush his lips against my neck. I answer my phone, trying not to breathe too hard, especially when Jared opens his mouth on my throat and sucks.

"H-Hello?"

"It's Aunt Shelley." Dad's voice, saturated with grief comes through the phone. "The Doctors have confirmed that she has a virulent case of Pneumonia. She's in the Hospital right now, and it's not looking good."

I almost drop the phone, and all of a sudden, everything gets blurry, the sound in my ears, buzzing deep and low. I'm numb. I don't even notice that Jared's pulled away from me, or that Dad's calling my name through the phone.

"Which Hospital?" I breathe, finally, a voice in my head screaming, _No, not Aunt Shelley!_

"Northwesterm Memorial, _Mija._"

I hang up and speak through numb lips. "Let me out."

Jared is looking down at me, his face serious, blue eyes hard. "I'll drive you to the Hospital."

I don't ask questions, or protest. I'm too busy fighting the scary turmoil going on inside me. We push through the hordes of dancing people, in their swanky dresses, looking happy and carefree. Jared leads me to his car, pulling me to the front seat, and, literally, pressing me down into the passenger seat.

I'm aware that my breathing has gone shallow.

The car journey is quiet. Too quiet, and all you can hear are my breaths, in and out, so jagged and harsh, like the sound of someone who's ran around a racecourse ten times. I wrench out my phone, and ring Dad, trying not to come to conclusions.

He doesn't answer.

I swear, and almost throw my phone in the backseat, except that I can't really afford to be irrational.

Jared sneaks a sideways glance at me, those blue eyes ridiculously sharp. I wonder if there's any compassion in those eyes of his, hidden underneath all that ice, or if he just feels pity. I'm not so stupid that I don't know that he's led a tough life. I do.

Breathing out, I shift in my seat. If he was Harry, he'd hold me to his side and mutter soothing words. But he's not Harry. He's a gangbanger, isn't he.

Last time I checked, he was.

We pull up into the parking lot, and I dart out of the car. Jared follows, throwing a ten dollar note at a cop who edges closer to us.

We sail up the stairs and reach the receptions desk, get the details and then I'm running all over again, feeling so frantic and panicked, my hands clam up. The reassurance is behind me, in the form of Jared, and I'm too panicked to feel ashamed of that fact.

We reach the destination, near the ER wards, and I see Dad standing at the head of the hallway. Choking back a sob, I dart for him, and he catches me in his arms.

"She's gone." Dad whispers. "She died fifteen minutes before you arrived. I'm so sorry, _Mija."_

And that's when I break down, completely.


	32. Dark Desire

**I swear I've been prolonging their sex way more than is healthy! **

**:)**

Jared

I've been sitting on the chairs for what seems like hours on end, but when I check my phone, it's actually been three.

Isa's disappeared somewhere, with her family, probably dealing with the loss of her Aunt. Probably dealing with the pain, with people she loves, and who love her.

So what the fuck am I doing, sitting here in the stands, waiting for God knows fucking what?

It's not like she's my girlfriend. I snort at that, causing a couple of heads to turn, but really, like I give a shit.

Handing me a girlfriend is like handing a terrorist an activated bomb, for shits and giggles. Not a good combo.

I sigh and shift in my seat, knowing that whatever the fuck I was doing here, I wasn't going to leave without Isa. Whether her family wanted it that way or not.

Jesus, the way her face crumpled when her Dad told her the news about her aunt. Damn it if I didn't want to charge over to her, like a rampant bull, and take her into my arms and just hold her, and let her cry it out against my chest, where I know she's safe.

Just to fucking feel her against me and _know _that I was the one looking out for her, and protecting her from the pain of suffering a loss she mourned alone, and being there to cup her face in my hands, look down into those beautiful dark eyes and kiss her soft, and then hard, and let her channel her pain into me, let her lose herself in me, and let her...

_Jesus H Christ, let her what? Sing you poetry, and frolic in daffodils together?_

Truth was the truth. I'm fucking her for a bet, despite the fact that she has just lost her Aunt, and then I'm going to post the videos all over school. I'm not her Knight in shining tin foil, I'm a fucking creep, who preys on her emotions, am stuck being threatened by a fucking Gang member, and my Mom is a walking talking table mat for abuse.

I put my head in my hands and sigh hard. There was no backing out now. Five hundred bucks is no joke. I need the money, and I know why, now.

If I can give Chrys five hundred bucks to back off, then I'll do it...for my family's sake.

I need the money for my Mom...for our independence. To get Gabe to fuck off. I need it so that we can all be safe.

Shit.

"Jared?" A small voice from close by. "You're still here?"

I look up right into Isa's red rimmed eyes, her skin is pink and blotchy, and she has eyeliner smudged around her lids.

I clear my throat, ready to say something. But, really, what the fuck can I say to her? So I just nod.

"You...should go home." Her voice is throaty, sore from crying. I want to press my lips over hers to stop her from speaking, to give her a moment of escapism to pleasure.

I want to fuck her, and to have her be all mine, and nobody else's for the looking.

I want to make love to her without any cameras.

Jesus, just the thought of other people seeing her naked makes me want to punch something. Like myself.

"Jared?" Isa says, and her eyes full with concern for a second, and I'm almost blown away by that fleeting moment, because, here she is, having just lost someone she loves, and is looking at me with concern, someone she hates.

This is the girl I'm going to destroy. A girl who's worth so much more than anything I can give her.

I fucking hate myself.

But instead of letting it show, I just nod again. Like an idiot. "Yeah. But...ah...you okay?" Great. I sound so compassionate.

"I will be." Isa tries to smile. "Funeral arrangements." She adds at random, and then blinks hard.

"I...do you want me to take you home?" I find myself saying.

I expect her to shake her head and protest, but she just looks at me. And then nods. "Please. Mom and Dad are staying here for a while with Paco and Jay. It's so...God, it's just so depressing. I can't...bear it."

I take her arm and lead her out of the Hospital, before she can say anything else. We get to the car in silence, and I crank up the heaters to full blast as we drive, because she looks like she's going to wither away from the shivers tremoring through her body.

"Isa." I say, because I want to say something to make her feel better. "I want..."

I clench my fists and look ahead, shifting the taillight blinkers to dim and trying not to swear out loud.

"Yes." Isa whispers, and her voice is so quiet and different, I cast a side long look at her, and then stop short. Because she's looking up at me, from those dark, obsidian eyes, as if she wants to devour me.

And all of a sudden Mini-Jared comes to life; it's like insta-erection there and then.

"What do you want?" Isa says, in a hushed voice.

I swallow. "You." My voice is as husky as hers, and I think I should probably pull over, in case I have an accident with another car. But looking back over at her, I think the risk is more having an accident in my _pants._

I chuckle at the thought of bursting in my pants, and stop when I see Isa bite her lip. "Then pull over."

Okay, as much as I want this, and Goddamn it, I _do,_ I know I can't have sex with this girl when she's this vulnerable.

Which, I guess, makes me viable to be the next fucking Mother Teresa, right.

I chuckle again, but this time it's bitter, not so much a chuckle as a dark hitch escaping my lips, and I shake my head. "Not tonight. Not in these circumstances."

Isa takes a shuddering breath. "Jared...pull over."

"I—I can't. Not tonight." I'm, repeating myself like an idiot. And I feel like one, too. But I can't have sex with her like this. Not with her vulnerable like this.

"I know...I know you think I can't—" Isa pauses and takes another breath, "I know you're experienced. I know you've been with girls with more experience than me..." She stops and then sighs, again. And fuck if her breathy little sound escaping her lips doesn't send my head spinning. "I'm a virgin. But I...I can show you a good time-"

Okay, now I feel like an asshole. Does she really think I'm stopping this because I _want_ to?

"Thought you were smart." I say, gruffly, the words coming out before I can stop them.

"W—What?" Isa stops, and looks at me, curiously.

I spot a hard shoulder, and pull over, hastily, unzipping my seatbelt the moment the car engine stops and pushing myself out the car, before she can say anything else. The wind feels good against my hot skin, and I want to close my eyes and lose myself in this moment, especially, when I hear Isa come behind me, and put her hand on my arm.

"Jared?" She whispers.

"I want you." I get out through clenched teeth. "More than I've wanted any other girl in my life and that's a damn fact."

Isa smiles for the first time tonight, and my breath escapes me when she does, because it's beautiful. I feel like a total pansy tonight for having these thoughts.

Clenching my teeth harder, I pull out a cigarette from my pocket and light it, being careful not to suck the smoke into my lungs.

Isa flinches, and I can see it from my periphery. "Are you in a gang, Jared?" She asks.

I raise an eyebrow. "Maybe." I say, around the cigarette tube, and lean my hip against the dirty railing.

Isa puts her arms around herself. Like she needs fucking protection from me. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I, sweetheart."

"But I do understand that despite everything, I want you too."

Hello, Mini-Jared. It's been a long time, since we've met, right? Almost two whole fucking minutes.

I clamp my cigarette between my lips and grab Isa's waist pulling her to me, hard, her chest against mine. She gasps, at the contact, and I moan as her body pulls flush against mine, her curves fitting into my hardness at the exact right positions.

She leans away, so our lower bodies press against each other even more, and I know she can feel my erection by the way her eyes darken from their usual caramel brown to a dark chocolate colour. "I...need—"

"Yeah?" I coax, pulling her hand off my chest and pressing it against my cheek.

Her fingers trail against my cheek, of their own accord, twisting into my hair, and I groan around the cigarette. She looks hypnotized, almost transfixed, into my eyes.

"Drop the cigarette." She whispers.

I unclamp my lips, so the unfinished cigarette falls to the ground, stub it out with the toe of my boot, and pull her right against me, her contours and hollows feeling so fucking good against me, that I want to tilt my head back and moan and roar, but don't. Because that would mean not being able to look at her.

I make the move to tilt my head, and push down against her lips with my own, our breaths merging, the scent of mint and smoke mingling until I want to strip her completely. Her hands loosen and then tighten in my hair, and I wrap an arm around her waist, and another in her soft, long hair, letting my fingers pull her hair off her throat, and then trail down her soft skin.

My lips pull off hers and trail down her cheek. It tastes like salt and honey on my tongue, her dry tears cool against my hot lips, and then my lips go lower, press on her throat, down the side of her neck to the hollow of her collarbone, and up again, bending her body back on the railing, until her long hair falls to the grass on the other side of the railing, and her breasts push on my chest and Mini-Jared wants to burst from the excitement.

Fuck, if I'm going to let him.

I pull us up, my lips still on her neck, and start to pull away, but Isa pulls my head back up the pull of her hands in my hair and my lips meet hers, again, and she feels so fucking good, better than anyone else, and I lose all sight of my bearings.

Until I hear the sound of a familiar voice come from the other side of the world, and I pull away from Isa, to glare straight into familiar blue eyes.

Familiar territory. And a slap back to reality.

Chrys is smiling sharply, leaning against the railing. His hand is on his holster which holds a gun.

"Well, isn't this precious?"


	33. Hopeless

**So, I'm taking a break from studying and posting this. It's not one of the best updates, but I hope you like it anyway! :)**

**For the person that likes Mini-Jared. I hope Mini-Ast will cherish his trigga.**

Isa

Okay, so the moment that creepy guy wearing a huge smile walks in on me and Jared, I admit, I scream like a little girl.

Jared doesn't so much as flinch as he sets his eyes on the guy who has just walked in on us.

"Who are you?" I exclaim, loud enough for my voice to ring through the night sky. The air has become chilly, and I don't have my phone on me, so my family can't get to me. They're probably worried sick...

I don't want to think about anything to do with home, though. If it were up to me, I'd be losing my virginity to Jared right about now, except that he doesn't want to have sex with me.

The creepy blonde guy doesn't answer, which isn't surprising, since I'm probably just one of those target boards for him. Instead he moves closer to us, and that's when I notice he's holding a revolver and it's pointed at Jared. I stop breathing.

Jared smiles, totally at ease. "Hey." He levels his blue gaze on Chrys and keeps it there, focus and determination practically permeating out of him. I'm scared to move or breathe, but I summon up enough sense not to speak anymore.

Because it's so obvious this guy is a gangbanger. And he's chosen to interrogate Jared now, at this very moment. In the middle of our intense make-out session. Is someone trying to tell me something?

I expect Jared to grin his charming grin and wheedle his way out of this mess, since he should be used to guns being pointed at him, but he doesn't remove his calm icy blue gaze off the guy with the gun, and his eyes don't soften. They stay hard, as he moves his body in front of mine.

I almost swallow my tongue, as Jared hides the guy from my view, and the man laughs.

"Well, well. I wouldn't have thought you of all people would fall so far deep into the cesspool, son." His voice is unpleasant, and I recognise it from somewhere else. Wasn't this the same guy that confronted Jared at school, with that other man, the unpleasant looking one Jared called Gabe.

"Why don't you just put the gun down and walk away." Jared says and it's not a question. I don't miss the unadultured hate in his voice, or the way it shakes slightly. He's scared of something. Jared, who's never scared of anyone or anything is scared today.

And he's facing up to his fears, because not once has his stance shifted, not once has he moved away from his role as a protective shield, and I want to cry from the feelings roiling through me, because if this doesn't show he cares about me I don't know what does.

I think I love him.

If this is what love feels like, then I'm glad I've never felt it before, because it's emotionally draining to go through so much shit in one night.

The guy laughs, and as he does the gun in his hand twitches. "Fucking priceless, you are Jared. I'm the one with the gun, and I'll give the orders. Now, I don't want anything to do with your girlfriend—"

"She's not my girlfriend." Jared snaps, so quickly, that I wince.

The blonde guy laughs again. "Sure she's not, son. Why are you standing in front of her, then? If she's your whore, as you claim."

Jared steps away from me, and suddenly, it's cold without his body heat, but I face the guy with my chin up, even though there's a pang in my head that's more than just a headache and I feel clammy with cold sweat. I'm shivering. Maybe I'm ill.

"She's not..." Jared says, and his voice is so soft, it's almost carried away by the wind. "She's nothing to me."

I don't flinch away from his words again. I'm not stupid. He's saying this to protect me. Because there's something in him that cares for me and I almost smile.

But that wouldn't bode well with having a gun pointed at you.

The guy smirks, and plays the gun between his thick fingers, stroking it. "Whatever you say, my boy. Anyway, I didn't come here for idle chatter. I want to recruit you, and there's no reason why you should say no. You're on the tracks to becoming a criminal anyway." The gangbanger winks at him conspirationally. "You're a good fighter, and light on your feet and I want you in my gang."

"Or dead...?" Jared taunts, his voice strained.

The gangbanger grins openly. "Don' tempt me."

I feel the cold air hit me in places which makes my body numb. The blonde guy continues to talk, jovially.

"Anyway, so you have until tomorrow evening to hurry up and decide what the fuck you're gonna do, because I have your family locked up in one of my headquarters and if you don't decide, I'm gonna fucking shoot their brains out."

I freeze, because this guy isn't lying. I can tell from the glitter in his eyes as he speaks, the way he smiles. He's more than dangerous.

And more than ready to kill Jared's family.

"You fucking bastard." Jared says, his voice shaking so badly, trying to keep himself in control. "I'll report you, you motherfucking..."

"No. You won't." The guy says, cheerfully.

And then he turns around and walks away, whistling under his breath. And Jared and I are left standing next to the highway, watching as cars whizz past us.

We don't move until we hear the echoed sound of a gun shooting in the background.

And then Jared falls to the ground on his knees, as if they can't support him anymore, and buries his head in his hands.


	34. Lost

**It's been some time since I uploaded, so here's a 'preview' of what's happening so far!**

**Jared + Isa= Main characters.**

**Jared= Bad, sarcastic, slightly dangerous (slightly crazy) boy. Isa= nice, sweet heroine.**

**Jared makes a bet with his friends that he can screw Isa...blah blah. Isa has boyfriend. Boyfriend is a bit of a chump. He's in a gang, and coincidentally the same gang that wants Jared. Jared denys the gang, gets shot, goes to the dance, blackmails Isa's boyfriend, and takes Isa away.**

**Shelley DIES :'( Boo.**

**And Chrys threatens Jared.**

**And now they're going to get it on.**

**Hope my AWFUL preview helped you guys kindle your memories. I don't blame you if it doesn't! :S ;)**

**Ah well...**

Jared

I realise what just happened just happened, and that I should probably sic the cops on Chrys' fucking ass, but I just can't seem to bring myself to get up from my head in hands position against the fence.

Isa leans down next to me. I can smell her soft perfume, the light tang of mint in the air, and I want to look up at her, and tell her that I am not worth her time or effort, but all I see are dark eyes looking down into mine, and suddenly her mouth closes over mine, and I'm pulling her body down over my own, so she's straddling me, and we're back where Chrys left us off.

Except, not so much this time. This time, it seems more tender, more real, and thoughts of what Chrys has just said about my family are whizzing through my head.

I pull away, and sigh, hard.

Isa puts her hand in my pocket and gets out my phone. "Ring them."

I ring Rachel's house first, half expecting the ring to go on and on. But it doesn't. Rachel's voice is calm down the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Hey." I say, and freeze up, almost choke with relief. Isa runs a hand down my back and I lean into her unconsciously.

"Jared? Where are you?"

"Are you okay?" I ask. "Is Steve at home."

Rachel sounds confused now, but answers. "Fine."

So Chrys was lying about my family. But the motherfucker isn't much for empty threats..."Just...stay safe, okay?" Before she can respond, I hang up the phone.

"Jared...she's fine." Isa says, after a second. "That man...he was just trying to scare you."

"Well it fucking worked." I say gruffly.

When I raise my head to look at her, again, her eyes are swimming with tears, and I remember that she's just lost her aunt tonight, and been confronted by Chrys. Shit, what am I doing?

"You...you need to get home." I say, and it feels as if I'm realising the truth myself. "I'm a bastard for doing this to you. Tonight..." I swallow down a lump that's formed in my throat as I speak, and pull myself up, restlessly.

Isa stays down. "I...I don't want to go home. There's no one there. I'll be alone."

Oh Jesus. I look around, anywhere, to try and get my eyes to stay off Isa, but it doesn't happen. Something has changed in our relationship, something vital.

I don't say a word, just get in the damned car, turn on the ignition, and let it rumble to life, waiting for Isa to open the door and get in the passenger seat. When she does, I drive, unsure of where I'm going, until I unconsciously find that I've driven all the way to Isa's house.

It seems as if time has fast forwarded everything, but all of a sudden it stops when Isa says, "No one's home."

Silently, I get out of the car, and she does too, taking charge and opening the front door. The house is warm and comforting, reminding me of the contrast of the homey, tastefully decorative furniture to my home—not Rachel's and Steve's—but my mom's house, which is chilly and frankly, ugly.

"Come upstairs." Isa says, softly.

I do. Because I'm a bastard.

I climb up the stairs, sometimes taking two steps, other times, three, and reach the top in no time. Isa's standing at the front of what seems to be her room. She moves aside to let me in and see a big, spacious room with a large bed. There's alot of books by her bedside table, and a desk. She has makeup spread around the room, and a vanity table, and mirror set.

"It's messy." Isa says, her voice slightly embarrassed, as she sits on the bed.

I don't answer, because all of a sudden, I'm not so interested in the room anymore.

I lean down and capture Isa's lips with my own, before I even know it. She kisses me back, her mouth opening under mine like a blooming flower.

"Jesus." I groan, as she lies back against the bed, taking me with her, so I'm on top of her body and she's stretched out under me. "Isa."

She silences me with a thrust of her hips. This does interesting things to Mini-Jared's temperament and I groan. I guess if I'm being a bastard I might as well act out my part.

The camera's in my pocket, and I'm aware of it poking into my hip. But I can't bring myself to take it out. Especially since my brain is clouded by Isa's soft moans in my ear. I pull her head back by her hair and run my lips down her throat, smiling wickedly against her skin when her breath starts to shorten considerably.

I pull away, rearrange my jeans, and adjust Isa on top of me, her hair falling around us like a golden curtain, as her mouth travels across my cheekbone. "You want to fuck here?" I hiss, hating myself when she pulls away and her brown eyes widen.

"No. I want to love you here." She whispers. And then her hands go to the buttons of her dress, and it's falling apart over her shoulders, exposing inch by delicious inch of skin, and my lips rove her shoulders and down her arms, and I can't breathe or think, because Isa's soft, breathy pants are taking over my whole fucking mental space.

"Love is not part of my vocabulary, Isa." I hiss, against her neck, and feel the shudder roil through her whole body when I lick her collar bone, turning us, again, so she's underneath me, her hair mussed against the pillow, and her skin creamy and soft, like golden honey. I kiss down her throat and across her collarbones, in between the cups of her bra.

"I'll teach you and it will be." She answers, and I'm speechless at that, because how the fuck do I answer that it just isn't possible?

Her hands fumble against my jacket and suddenly, I'm shirtless and her hands are roving my chest, across my biceps, as my lips explore the expanse of her skin. Her fingers trace the tattoo that coils around my bicep, and she slowly leans her face to my arm, and licks the pattern. I forget what I'm about to say, surrender to her this one time.

"You make me crazy." I whisper, and it's my turn to tremor, because the shudder that shakes through me is pinpointed by every place where she's touching me.

She unbuttons my jeans, one by one, and it's tantalizing the way her face slackens, when her hands trace Mini-Jared's outline, trace the waist band of my jeans, and I realise with a jolt that I haven't seen anyone or anything more beautiful than Isa.

Somehow, my jeans come off, and I lean into her shoulder and break the bra clasp with my teeth. Isa gasps when the strap falls open, and then laughs, and the sound make me want to snatch her up and hold her to me, laugh with her, and then just watch her. God knows all I want to do is watch her. Maybe that's creepy, but kill me now if it's not fucking true.

"You are _such _an animal." Isa giggles. She looks happier than I've seen her all tonight.

I mock growl against her lips, and kiss her again, then trace her chin with my lips, her neck, lower so she gasps and moans, when I lick every inch of her skin, over her belly, and down to her panties. "Snap." I whisper against the edge of the fabric, and tear them off her.

Isa's flushed everywhere, completely naked and she's so beautiful I want to kiss her again, and so I bring myself up her body and do just that, running my hands down her long hair, pulling it over her shoulders and down her chest, stroking my skin.

"Are you ready?" I whisper against her soft, red mouth.

She nods, wrapping her arms around me, and all of a sudden...I'm lost. And in serious danger. I don't know why or how, but I am. And Isa's my life boat. My safety. And my arms twine around her, and I pull her onto me. I read the look in those soft brown eyes, and she doesn't need to tell me whether she's done this before or not, because the answers in her expressive eyes, telling me that she's a virgin.

_Be careful with her..._

_Leave her..._

_She's too much to deal with..._

I cup her cheek, and watch her smile. And all my thoughts leave me, and I kiss her soft mouth, and push her legs open, ignoring the warning bells ringing in my head.

Because some things are better than regret.


	35. Danger, Danger

**Aw! Chrimbo tomorrow! :)**

Isa

When I open my eyes, I'm alone, and, though the bed is warm, I feel slightly chilly. Light falls from the windows onto the bed, and my body is aching as if someone has slowly pressed weights onto every inch of my skin.

Jared must be long gone, because his side of the bed is cold. Just thinking about what we did though...it's confusing, and I feel like we shouldn't have done it, but it I can't help the blush that runs over me. I'm not going to act like a love struck creep and proclaim that we're going to get married, or whatever.

It's not like I love him...

I sit up, and run my hands through my hair. When I turn my head to see for myself what I look like in the mirror, I gasp. My hair is rumpled, my skin is flushed, and I'm fully naked.

The effects of last night catch up with me, snatching the glow away, and I feel like something's been dropped inside my stomach. Aunt Shelley is dead, and no amount of distraction is ever going to make that okay.

I pull on a big t-shirt and my ugliest pair of long johns, because they're the most comfortable clothes I own and slip downstairs. Jay and Paco are there; Jay drawing glum circles on the countertop table, and Paco sipping something out of a cup. They both look miserable.

"You guys..." I sigh, start to say something, but then stop myself. "Where's Mom and Dad."

"I honestly have no idea." Jay says.

There's a silence, one that's weighed with tension. And then I walk up to Jay and hug him, because there's nothing else to do.

Jay doesn't say anything, but I sigh when he wraps his arms around me.

I push away from him, turn around, and pour myself a cup of coffee, silently. Paco raises an eyebrow. "You okay? You look... troubled. Is something on your mind?"

"No...I'm good."

I don't think telling them about Jared is going to lessen the effect of our aunt's death. It's too raw.

Paco takes a long swig of his coffee, and then dumps it on the sink counter. "Well, now that I have a shit load of caffeine in me, I'm gonna go face the day. Mom and Dad are still at the hospital by the way. Probably sweating coffee like I am."

"Aren't you just a chipper, today?" Jay calls as Paco strides off, grabbing his leather jacket.

I push away from the counter, and slink upstairs, leaving Jay downstairs. But before I can go, Jay stops me.

"Who did you have sex with last night?"

I freeze on the steps and turn around.

"Did you really think I didn't notice? Sweetheart, I'm an _expert _on sex." Jay continues.

I swallow down the lump in my throat, not because I'm scared that Jay would purposefully tell everyone, but more because he'd do it accidentally. Jay has the biggest mouth in the world.

"Please don't tell Mom or Dad! They have so much on their hands..." I stop talking when Jay starts to laugh, bitterly.

"Yeah, Isa. They do." I blink and Jay grins. "Who was the guy? Harry?"

My eyes close. Harry. As if there weren't any more reasons to feel like a shit.

"I...I think we're going to have to break up." I tell Jay, opening my eyes again, and feeling the tears well up. I blink hard, once and then again.

"Yeesh." Jay says, picking up a slice of cheese and breaking it up. "Was he that bad?"

"It wasn't Harry." I mumble.

"How _femme fatale _of you. Cheating on your boyfriend with an unnamed suitor." Jay says, his smile slightly amused, slightly tinged with impatience. "Who was the guy you had sex with, Isa?" And now his voice is sharp.

I'm taken aback. Seriously taken aback, because the light in Jay's eyes is knowing. As if he knows who the guy is and...

I feel my face tighten. "Jared Salisbury."

Jay doesn't look surprised. "You mean the guy I saw sneak out of your room at five which was the moment Paco and I returned. Thank your lucky stars Paco didn't see him. Or else he'd be dead. Personally the reason I didn't kill him, was because I didn't really want to damage that face but..."

"You saw him sneak out?" I ask, shock laced in my voice.

Jay shoots me an exasperated look. "Keep up."

"Did...how did he look?" I can't help the words that are pouring out of my mouth.

Jay pinpoints me with a glare. "Shattered. And I don't mean tired. That was the other reason I didn't kill him for fucking you. Because there's no point breaking something that's already shattered into pieces."

He gets up, suddenly, and picks up his keys from the counter. "Think about that." Jay says, turns around and walks out the door without another word, leaving me in the house.

* * *

The only thing I can think to do is lie down and read a book, which soon proves to be impossible. The bed smells like Jared, which is distracting, and heartbreakingly erotic. I want to roll around in the sheets like an animal.

Sighing hard, I bang the book on the bedside table, and curse when the lamp falls off with the book.

I pick up the lamp and the book, plonk it down on the table and catch sight of the picture of me, Mom and Aunt Shelley last Christmas.

It's almost an undoing. Because the tears that wouldn't come before slide down my face, and onto the picture, and everything comes flooding back. I've lost my aunt. She's never coming back. And I'll never see her again.

It's so sudden and raw, I want to curl up. Sex wasn't the answer. It was the plaster, and I've ripped that off already.

And then the window shatters inwards.


	36. Family problems

**Happy New Year! Hope you had a great 2011. Gee whiz, can't wait till 2012 (THE YEAR OF DOOM, AND GCSE'S)**

**But you guys already knew that ;)**

**Enjoy!**

Jared

I arrive home as quickly as possible, and shuffle through the pocket of my jeans until I find my house keys. Swinging the door open, I pounce through the threshold like a madman.

"Mom?" I call loudly, the small hallway doing little to echo my voice. "Mom?"

The door to the living room swings open with a bang, and Mom is staring at me under the frame. "What?" Her eyes are ringed with mascara, and her long brown hair falls down her back in straight tendrils. She looks normal, albeit a little OTT with the racoon eyes. Mom's always been a looker. Unfortunately the fact that she's not hard on the eyes means that alot of creeps tend to flock to her.

And Mom's certainly never refused attention from anybody.

"Are..." I start to ask her if she's okay. The thing is, I've paid a visit to Rachel's, to see if everyone is okay. And I'm still paranoid that Chrys is gonna pull a hell of a fucked up kidnapping my family. But the minute I see Mom, thoughts like, _why the fuck do you even bother with her, man? _Start cropping up in my head. Especially now that she's okay.

"Never mind." I sigh, and wrench my coat off, fling it onto the stairwell and start to go upstairs. Thing is, as soon as I take of my coat, I catch a scent in the air, and all of a sudden, Isa's fragrance, like lime and something else, something so beautiful, it's like heroine to me, takes over my already crowded thoughts.

God, last night was fucking _incredible_. I can still hear Isa's moans in my ear, the way her naked body pressed against my naked body, and her curves fit into my hardness, and the way her sweet smelling, honey coloured hair fell across my skin, and how her golden skin was almost illuminated by the morning light, and how I just wanted to curl up against her, instead of leave through her window early today...

Fuck. Just fuck.

"Yo, bitch." Gabe's voice calls from below, and he doesn't banish my thoughts exactly, about Isa, but manages to calm Mini-Jared down from his previous swollen state.

I turn around. "What the fuck do you want old man?"

Gabe is standing behind my Mom, one hairy hand on her hip, and the other is clenched in her hair, pulling her head to the side. Mom sighs, leaning into him, but Gabe isn't paying any attention to her, his hard eyes are on me, and I spot the giant ugly bruise on Mom's neck that was now uncovered by her hair.

Gabe's eyes flicker with mirth, his lips pull into a sneer, as he releases Mom's hair and trails his fingers over her bruise. "You were warned. Chrys fucking warned you not to shit all over his offer. You think I don't know how rejected his proposition? Imma fuck your Mom for that alone, boy-O."

Mom giggles, as Gabe starts to run his fingers over her shirt.

My eyes narrow. "Let go of her, you dirty bastard."

"I don't want to." Gabe says.

"Let go of her, before I fucking kill you." I snarl.

"Maybe," Gabe sneers, delicately running his mouth down Mom's throat, "you should have thought about this before rejecting Chrys' offer."

I charge down the stairs, wrench Mom off Gabe, and throw a punch in the old man's gut, watching as he groans and falls back against the wall. Mom screams, and I ignore her, in disgust. I'm fucking sick of this.

The doorbell rings, but I ignore it, and aim a kick into Gabe's balls, laughing when he curls in on himself.

"Why aren't you defending yourself, huh old man?" I snarl. "Too weak? You gonna paw at my Mom now?"

"No." Gabe wheezes. "I'm the fucking distraction, you stupid idiot."

The bell rings again, and when I don't answer, I hear angry voices from behind the barrier of the door. They sound familiar, but...

Turning from Gabe, who's clutching his ribs and wheezing on the floor, I wrench open the door, ready to throw some kind of a punch or kick at the first bastard that I see.

But the people standing in front of me, stop me short.

Isa's brothers.

And all of a sudden, it's like someone from above it kicking _me _in the fucking balls, for being caught off guard so quickly, because the next thing I know, I'm being wrenched from the doorway, and pushed against the patio walls.

One of the twins, pushes his face into mine. "You fucking bastard," he snarls. "What the _fuck _have you done with our fucking sister?"


	37. Time of need

**Hi guys! Sorry for taking so long to update, but I had my exams! I hope this isn't so late that no one can really be bothered to read the UD! :) (Crossing fingers)**

Isa

When I open my eyes, there's something uncomfortable probing my back. And my mouth feels oddly...stretched? My body is aching from being twisted at an unnatural position, and for a second, I think I must have slept the wrong way.

Its dark. And dirty. Jeez, it smells like dirt and sweat. My mouth is full of some sort of cloth, and I feel like I'm gonna gag.

And that's when the panic settles, and the cloying feeling that I'm being squashed inwards from all different sides. I'm tied up somewhere. Alone.

I start to scream, but the sound is muffled. Sweat pools up between my breasts, down my back. I try to pull my arms outwards, but they're tied in expert knots, biting into the skin of my wrists, holding them together. The pain of my hands register, the twist of my arms behind my back.

There's a sound above me, a steady dripping of water as it falls into a puddle nearby.

My head falls back against the wall, registering with the hard brick, a spasm of pain lancing down my spine. I try to control my breathing, when the sound of a door opening interrupts my thoughts.

"Well, good morning, there, sweetheart." A voice says from above. My head moves, as I try to twist towards the sound. I recognise the voice, immediately. The blonde gangbanger that wanted to recruit Jared. What was his name again? My brain is filled with too many thoughts and I can't register on one. "Did you have a nice nap?"

I start to wriggle where I'm sitting, not achieving anything, but unable to sit still.

The man's chuckle is free, easy, as slick as oil. It sends chill-inducing shivers down my spine. I feel so cold, clammy, and the sweaty patches on my skin begin to itch.

"Yes? That's good, dear." The man says, softly. I blanche as a finger pulls my chin up. "Hmmm," The man whispers, his breath brushing my cheek. "You're a pretty thing, ain't yah?"

My eyes focus on his face, his rough beard, his blonde shaggy hair. He has piercings on his eyebrows, a metal bar through his nose. His eyes are flat and blue, hard slaps of ice. I shoot him a deadly glare, one that warns him to keep his filthy hands off me.

He laughs, his finger falls from my chin, and down my shoulder. I recoil at his touch. "Don't worry, babe. Nothing's gonna happen to you, not yet. Gotta make your boyfriend pay first. That is, if he cares at all about you, as much as you seem to care about him."

The man then pushes my hair back, and runs his filthy fingers down my neck. "If he _doesn't _show up, however...well, then I can have my fun with you. We all can."

And with that, he walks away, leaving me shivering in the dark.

I search around for a way to get free, my eyes scanning the room, frantically. For some reason, all my karate moves have failed me, I'm completely frozen and fucking helpless against the bonds. I feel so useless.

My head falls back, and I close my eyes, praying that I'll find a way out.

And during that time of praying, I never let my thoughts travel towards what Jared might be doing right at this moment. Because, honestly, I really don't want to face the truth, or what my heart is telling me.

That, if he's anything like the Jared I know, he probably doesn't give a flying fuck whether I'm alive or dead at this moment.


	38. Disguises

**Enjoy!**

Jared

"I still don't fucking understand why the fuck he can't tell us what happened to her?" The taller one of Isa's brothers asks the other. I give them a smile in the rear-view mirror, and get two hot-headed, full blown glares in return.

Trying to ignore the fact that I'm being practically kidnapped, I slide in my earplugs, and slip on sunglasses, and pretend that I don't give a shit. Which gets the brothers' blood boiling. I can practically see it. I don't actually put any music on, though. And my eyes are scanning the highway, the occasional tree speeding by. My heart is making these weird thump thumps, like it knows it can't go on normally when Isa isn't safe.

Which is fucking shit, because I really don't give a crap about my own mother, let alone some pampered rich girl who I screwed the night before...

But even I can't convince myself that I don't care. Because I do. I fucking do, and it's killing me. And I'm already planning how, as soon as these pricks let me go, I'm gonna go to the garage and bust her out.

But my mind is coming up with weird ideas, and my palms are sweating. I'm trying not to breathe in too deep, in case the next few breaths will inhibit the amount of oxygen that can reach my brain. Shit, I'm not even making any sense in my head.

And images of Isa are roiling through my brain: Isa laughing with her friends, Isa sipping coffee in front of me, Isa frowning up at me, through long dark lashes, Isa kissing me, Isa lying beneath me on her bed, while I kiss her throat, her belly, her whole body.

I. Am. So. Fucking. Screwed.

"You listening to me, dickhead?" One of the brothers says, and I meet a dark glare through the overhead mirror.

I raise an eyebrow. "Sorry, amigo. Can't hear ya." _Just let me the fuck go, so I can save her! I can't fucking stand this. I can't sit around and wait for her. She's my...she's everything to me._

The one with spiky hair, curses. "_Te dije que el hijo de puta no nos puede ayudar!_"

The other one doesn't reply, but his glare is pretty damn menacing. "Yes he can, Jay. I know he can help us. The sonofabitch knows exactly where she is."

I sigh, and throw my head back against the leather covered car seats, lift one jean clad let up, so my boot is pressed up against the back of the drivers' seat. "Listen, muchachos. You two look like your pretty experienced with the ladies." I cast a glance at the spiky haired brother. "Or men. Whichever way you choose to roll, don't bother me. But I'll tell you this. I don't fucking know where your sister is. I fucked her, and left. That's about it with our relationship."

God, even though I know the words aren't true they physically hurt. I practically have to spit the words out, and it's fucking killing me, and Isa...

The car stops, haltingly, and for a second I breathe a sigh of relief. Because I think I'm gonna fucking throw up. And to be honest, I really don't want to upchuck in the car; it's a pretty hot ride.

"She's here." The guy driving says, and the spiky haired brother slides out of the passenger seat, opens the door next to me.

"Move." He barks. I just raise an eyebrow, my trademark, as high as it'll go.

The dude sighs, like he knows it's futile to argue, and walks to the other door, opens it, and slides in, his foot propped up, arms folded, totally hostile, while a redheaded chick slides into the passenger's seat, like it's nobody's business.

"What's happened to Isa?" She asks, matter of factly. The mention of her name is my undoing.

"We don't know, Juli." The brother driving says, grabbing hold of her hand. His shoulders seemed to relax as soon as she got into the car, as if she's his relaxant. For some reason, that gets to me.

Shit. Chrys could be doing anything to her, right now. But I can't fucking tell them that I care this much, that I want her safe, that I'd sooner fucking kill myself than be in this helpless position. Because If I did, someone would die. Anyone of these cocky motherfuckers who think they can burst in and rescue Isa, like it's nobody's shit. This is Chrys we're dealing with.

"Let me out of the car." I say, calmly. Suddenly, I'm not gonna wait for them to let me go.

"Not until you tell us—" The spiky haired brother sitting next to me starts to argue, but the redhead intervenes.

"Do you care about her?" She asks, her green eyes imploring, and strangely unnerving.

I clear my throat. "Fuck no."

"Liar." She says, smoothly. "This is killing you, isn't it? Knowing that the only reason she's been abducted is because of you. And that you can't do anything to help her."

I blink. "How the fuck—"

Juli smiles, shortly. "Because I used to be in a gang. I know how it all works." When her boyfriend takes her hand and starts to say something, she shakes her head at him. He clenches his free hand on the steering wheel, but doesn't say anything. "I know how you have to pretend you don't give a shit, when inside you _do. _When you love someone, but you don't want them to get hurt, because of the circumstances you're in. And when they do get hurt. How much pain you feel, but you still can't do anything to help them...I know."

I breathe in a shaky intake of air. "Drive to the garage down in the Southside. I think that's where he has her. And I'll go inside and get her out. Because if any one of you do, you'll kill her. And she's _not _gonna die. Okay?"

Juli nods, sends her boyfriend a warning look.

He turns to drive, muttering something. And as the car starts, I close my eyes, and do something I haven't done in over 12 years.

I pray. For someone else's life.

I pray for Isa.

The girl who I'm in love with.


	39. Busting out

**Hola! ENJOY!**

Isa

It's been a few hours of sitting in the dark alone. The worst hours of my life.

It's after the first few hours that I start to hear a scuffling sound from above. Craning my head slightly, I notice barred windows, like a jail cell, something that I hadn't noticed before. Probably because it's dark.

Morosely, I wonder if my family are worried by now. I don't even know how long I've been gone for.

I hear a sound from the vicinity of the open door, and try to muffle a scream, but it ends up escaping from my lips anyway, a hoarse sound that doesn't sound anything like me. I guess being trapped, and encaged in a foreign premises messes with you that way.

"Fucking get out of my fucking way!" A gruff voice proclaims from the doorway, and I flinch, then push up off the wall, and stand up straight. My chin is raised, but my hands are trembling, so I hide them behind my back and try not to let my fear show.

A guy walks into the room, not looking old enough to be a man, but not entirely young either. His head is covered with a scarf and he has these creepy glasses covering his eyes. He's wearing all black, and the first mental thought that registers in my head is, _hey he's not all that bad looking._

I berate myself immediately. Who the hell cares if they guy is hot? I'm probably going to die either way, whether it's by the hands of an ugly freak, or some Taylor Lautner lookalike.

"Boss, you gonna have fun with her?" A guy from behind the headscarved dude guffaws, and then there are a bunch of stupid laughs, some stupidly loud, others menacingly chilly. I shiver, the tremor runs through my whole body, and the hidden eyes of the guy appraise me.

"Oh yeah. Fuck hell yeah." The headscarfed guy swaggers forwards, like he owns the place. "And I don't want an audience. It's fucking distracting."

"Sure, boss." Someone from behind says, and although he sounds disappointed, he leaves, the door clicking shut.

Leaving me alone with the headscarved gangbanger.

"Back off." I say coolly, as he starts to advance. "I'm a black belt in karate."

The guy chuckles softly, and his voice, the way he moves, all seem familiar somehow, but I can't tell in the dark, and I feel like I'm probably losing my mind anyway.

"Oh, I don't doubt that, baby."

I blink hard, and then take a deep breath. "I'll warn you now, that my family are associated with some of the most powerful people in Chicago. And they're probably crazy worried about me."

The guy carries on walking towards me, until he's a few feet away. I assume a defensive stance and try not to flinch, as his hand slowly comes up, and he takes his headscarf off...

...revealing dark brown hair, tousled and soft looking even in the harsh darkness surrounding us.

And then the glasses come off, and cerulean blue eyes are watching me with a glitter of amusement, but mostly, they're filled with some unknown emotion, and I'm left staring at Jared, my mouth gaping open, and tears come flooding into my eyes.

And I pounce on him, in a bone jarring hug. He doesn't complain, his arms come around me as tightly as they possibly can, which is pretty darn tight, and for the first time in over 24 hours, I feel safe, and good, and so _warm._

My nose burrows into his shoulder, as Jared Salisbury pulls me even closer to him, his face in my hair, and his soft breath working hard against my ear as he whispers soft, sweet words...words that I'd never expect would come out of Jared's mouth, but they are.

"Is this a dream? How did you get here?" I whisper.

He raises his head, and looks down at me, his blue eyes staring down at me in a way that makes me shiver, though not from the cold. And wordlessly, he grabs the back of my head, pulling it down, and pushes his lips against mine, so savagely his teeth bang against mine, and I'm pressed up against the cold wall.

As quick as a flash, his lips pull away from mine, and he's craning his head up towards a window. I look up, too, my mind buzzing, my eyes filled with tears. I feel almost congested, like I have the flu.

"Isa! I'm gonna bust this window open, and Jared's going to hoist you up. Okay?" The voice from the window is Juli's, I recognise it without fault.

Turning to Jared, I wipe my eyes, and say, "How are you going to get out, after me?"

Jared's face is hard. "I'll deal with the aftermath. Right now, you need to get up on me, so I can get you to the window. Dig?"

I nod, stoically, not willing to argue out of pure tiredness.

Jared is quick as lightning, his movements light and natural as he lifts me up, to the waiting arms of Juli, just as the door bursts open.


	40. Bomb

**Hello and ENJOY! XD**

Jared

The moment I know she's safe with Juli and her brothers, I spin on my booted feet, kick the door open and simultaneously pull out my fully loaded revolver. The fat bald guy has his ear pressed against the door, the perv. When I push the door open, he almost falls over, and when he raises his head, his eyes widen.

"You ain't the boss." He stutters.

I sneer down at him. "Your boss is fucking dead." Not exactly true, but he is hog tied and locked in the basement closet. Turns out Juli knows this place like the back of her hand, judging by the ways her dark eyes has shadowed the moment we busted into the hellhole.

I see the fat guys eyes saturate with fear. That's right, asshole, feel the fear. "Wait till I tell Chrys." He stutters, in a wasted effort to pull out some form of courage. I smirk, and shoot him in the shoulder before he can do anything else, but let off a little high pitched squeak, and step over him, running nowhere in particular, just hoping that I can catch some bastard and shoot him where it counts.

I don't stop to wonder or ask myself where this rage is coming from, because I know the answer, it's as clear to me as an illuminated billboard. Isa. I'm doing this because they dared to touch her to get to me. They dared to put their filthy hands on her, and take her away, and try to hurt her...

I see red. I actually fucking see _red._

I keep running until I reach the grimy hallways, and then faster when I hear voices behind me. Pushing open a pair of double doors, I find myself outside at the same parking lot where Isa's brother parked. And sure enough their car is sitting there.

"Jared!" Isa screams, slipping out of her car. "What the hell are you doing?"

Paco steps out at the same time as his sister. "He's behind you!" He yells. I stare at him like an idiot for a second. Then turn around to face Chrys, who's standing there, leaning against the doors with an easy smile playing on his thin lips. I refrain from snarling at him like an animal.

"Ready to face this like a real man, Jared?" He says. I don't say anything, just level my Glock right there, at his face. I want to see the blood spurt out of his eyes, fall down at my feet. Chrys continues to talk, like it's no fucking biggie. "I knew it would take the compelling powers of a woman to get you to come here. We all fall for a woman at least once in our lives."

"Give me one reason not to bust your face open." I know I shouldn't say anything, just shoot, but I want to draw it out, hear what he has to say...

Chrys just smiles coolly. He knows how to play the villain just right, with those sneaky glances and smooth pimp smile. "Oh no, you should totally shoot me. You have all the right. In fact, I urge you to shoot me."

Which of course means I shouldn't shoot him. I keep my Glock aimed at his face, feeling like a complete chump when his grin broadens. I hear Isa gasp in the background and the sound of Police sirens. "Those are for you, Chrys." I say, as cool as he is.

Chrys ignores that, choosing instead, to push up off the doors and heave a sigh. He puts his hands in his pocket, and I tap my gun. "Hey, man, eyes on me."

Grinning even wider, he starts to clap his hands. I flinch, and then almost jump out of my skin when I feel a pair of cool hands on my shoulder, but it's Isa. "Stand back." I whisper, and she whispers back, "No," as calm as the ocean on a good day.

"Quit the fucking around, man." I hear Paco say from behind me. "The Police are coming to bust your ass. You're a goner."

Chrys ignores all this, focussing on me. "You have so much potential. Sorry, had..."

I blink. "Had?"

Chrys just nods, and this time, he looks...sad. "Had. I planted a bomb."

I register my thoughts just as he says this, and before I can blink, there's the sound of an explosion.


	41. Happy times

**Almost the end of this one, guys, I hope you liked it!**

Isa

I open my eyes to see Mom's pregnant bulge in my face. A second later, I see her face, her beautiful face saturated with worry, blue eyes bright with fear. "Isa? Baby, are you okay?"

I try to say the words I want to say, but they just won't come out.

Mom's soothing hand runs down my face, cool against my skin, reminding me of those times when I was little and she used to sit by my bedside and read comforting stories to me when I was sick. She used to take days on end off work, and sit with me. It always made me feel so much better, to know that despite Mom's hectic schedule, and the fact that she is such a busy woman, she'd still spend time off work for me.

"What..." I ask, croakily. I clear my throat, and stare up at her. She smoothes my hair back, and pushes me gently back against the pillows.

"Honey, you got to lie down, okay? It's not good if you sit up at this moment. The doctor said that the unbalanced equilibrium of your ears could make you queasy for a couple of days." She gives me a rueful grin. "Or something like that. I guess it's you and me both, now, huh?" Her grin gets wider and she pats her belly.

I have so many questions to ask her, but she just places her finger on my lips, and tells me to sleep. I can't sleep, though, and as someone who doesn't like to nap during daytime, and prefers to be active as long as the sun is up, this is troubling news to me. "Mom—" I start to say, but I am interrupted by the arrival of my Dad, who saunters into the room, an easy smile on his face. His big body comes up behind Mom's as he kisses her cheek.

"_Mija, _you feeling better?" He asks, his dark gaze filled with worry. I smile up at him.

"Yeah, Dad."

He smoothes my hair back just like Mom did, and I take the comforting silence in my hands and break it apart. "Mom, Dad. Where's Jared? Is he okay?" I remember the horrific BOOM, the sound of Jared's yell as he jumped over me, to protect me. And I'm seized with a panic I've never felt before in my life, it makes me want to cry, and shout and scream.

Mom exchanges a look with Dad. "We're not sure. Honey..." But it's too late to stop me now, because I'm already up off the Hospital bed and walking towards the door. Dad chuckles, but the sound is filled with tension, and as effortlessly, as if I were a baby, picks me up, and puts me back on the bed. "No, you don't, _Muneca."_

I try to sound as authorative as possible, but that's kinda hard when you feel like there's a minor civilian war raging in the confines of your head. Nonetheless, I try. "Dad. Mom. If you know what's good for you, you'll let me go see him."

Mom sighs. "Isa, we know what happened, and we're very grateful to the boy for saving you. But right now, you're our priority." She shakes her head at my look. "He's in good hands, anyway. He's being operated on, he has a broken rib."

I muffle a worried sound. A broken rib? I try to imagine the pain he's in, because of me.

Mom kisses the top of my head. "Get some sleep. The Hospital says they'll discharge you tomorrow."

"And Jared?" I ask, stubbornly.

Mom strokes my hair. "We're not sure. A lot of your friends, and his have come to check up on you, and him, and a few are waiting for him in the lobby, along with his sister, and her husband. They haven't an idea yet. It's...well, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Dad grins and takes something out of the plastic carrier bag that I hadn't noticed before on the table. "Homemade soup." He says, taking out a plastic container and some spoons. The smell makes my mouth water, but I pretend I'm not hungry.

"Thanks Dad." I say. "But I'm tired."

Mom and Dad exchange glances, but finally, they both nod, say some more words of comfort, and then leave, telling me that they're just going home and will be back.

"That's okay." I say, pretending to be drowsy. "Just go home."

Mom and Dad nod appeasingly, but knowing them, they'll be back. They leave and the door snicks shut. I climb off the bed immediately after, and push open the door, peeking outside. It's lucky that at that moment, I see a Nurse carrying a board saying Jared's name on it. Quietly, I sneak behind her, wait until she goes into the room, and leaves five minutes later, clutching a little box, and a clipboard.

When she leaves, after what seems like a century and a half, I slide—actually slide—into the ward, pushing my hair out of my eyes, and spot Jared lying on the hospital bed, his eyes closed, and his dark hair messy and slightly mangled with some kind of sticky liquid I hope is sweat. There is a table to his right with all sorts of flowers and get well cards, the same as mine. Jared's always been popular.

Swallowing fear I know shouldn't bubble up my throat, but does anyway, I walk to his bed, sit down on the corner and watch him.

I can't help but laugh when he crinkles his nose, and turns away, when I lean in, and my hair brushes his skin. I wonder how I ever could have guessed that my whole life, all seventeen years of it, could ever lead up to this moment, me looking down at the boy who is meant for me, and will be mine. It's so life changing, so refreshing, and exciting.

Suddenly, I can't wait for Jared to wake up. But it would be selfish of me, so I slip into his bed, next to him, his warmth sending the shivers of the cold, sterile environment that the Hospital has away. It's just me and Jared, and he's all mine. I press my lips to his forehead, and whisper, "I love you, so much," in his ear. He doesn't get up.

Sighing in contentment, I start to close my eyes, when all of a sudden, my beck is pressed against the mattress of the bed, and Jared is on top of me, his eyes open, and blue, like cerulean waves, and his lips are slightly pulled back from his teeth. I look up at him, and he looks down at me.

"You're awake." I say, trying not to notice the bulge of his, ahem, arousal pressing into my gown, or the fact that he's starting to smile in a very wicked way.

Jared presses my arms over the top of my head, wordlessly, and there is a glint in his eyes that reminds me of why I thought him so dangerous in the first place, why Chrys was so desperate to recruit him as the top of the Gang, and why Jared won and not the LB's. God, he's hot.

"Jared," I whisper, brought back to the night which seems like years ago, but was only a couple of days. Him on top of me, naked, the muscles of his back stretching and flexing against my own clenching hands.

"Hmmm?" He whispers, and the buttons of my gown start to fall apart, under his teeth.

I giggle. "Not here. Besides, we have to talk...about...things." My voice is breathy and all stupid, and my eyes close when his tongue touches my skin. "Stop... Jared...anyone could come in."

Jared presses into me, and his lips find mine, again, so that my words end off on a moan, and I breathing hard against his mouth, telling him I love him.

Jared breaks away from me, and looks down at me, his expression incomprehensible. "Did you just say you love me?"

I swallow, not allowing myself to feel an ounce of doubt. "Yes. And you love me too."

He raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that, Fuentes?"

"Yes. Otherwise...you wouldn't have come back for me."

"And If I told you that it was your brothers that forced me into saving you?" Jared says.

I laugh. "No one could force you to do anything."

Jared's face presses into my neck, his hot breath touching my sensitive skin, and making my stomach do weird upside down flips. The sensation of him on top of me, so big and warm are heady, and when his lips move on my neck, I shiver. "You are so sure of yourself."

"I always have been." I say. "Jared...you don't have to say it. I can wait. I'll wait forever for you." I sound so mushy, and it's risky because I know Jared hates mush.

"I have to tell you something." Jared says, slowly, and I brace myself. "I made a bet with Ham that I could film us—you and me, not Ham and me—having sex."

I blink. This isn't how it's supposed to go. "What? Did you?"

Jared swallows. "No."

I look down at my lap. "Why would you—"

"Because I'm an asshole." Jared says, and it's so matter of factly, I want to laugh, but I can't. "I didn't do it, Isa. I couldn't."

"Why not." I say it like it's an answer, not a question, and his eyes bore into mine.

"Because, stupid. I'm love with you. Don't make me say it again." The words are harsh, but his tone is so soft, and I can't help the tears that flood my eyes on hearing the words.

Jared kisses a stray tear away. "Don't...Isa, don't. Please. I love you. You knew that."

I grab onto him and hug him, press my face to his chest. "You're not forgiven for the bet, you know."

Jared laughs. "Wouldn't dream of it. So what punishment will I have to suffer? Being on the bottom?"

I hold his face in my hands. "How about cleaning my room instead?"

Jared's eyebrows go up. "So now I'm Cinderella and you're the evil Step-mother?"

"Aaand," I continue, ignoring him, "I get to name out first child."

Jared looks so taken aback it's funny. "Woah. Children? Jumping the gun aren't you?"

"We will have three." I say. "And we'll get married in New York, on top of the Empire State building, and then have a reception at Central Park. For our honeymoon, I'm thinking Italy."

I giggle at his expression.

"You're turning all freakish on me." He says. "Perhaps we should break up." But there's a spark of amusement on his face, and he's smiling at me, and he hasn't let go of me.

"Okay, okay." I say. "How about as punishment, you have to love me for the next ten years? How does that sound?"

To my surprise, Jared shakes his head. "I'll love you forever. Not the next ten years. _Way _too short."

And then he leans in and kisses me.


	42. The Baby

**ANDDDDD HERE IT IS! Last one, before the epilogue! I hope everyone enjoyed this story! I want to thank a special reviewer-Miss JoJo, who went through the time and effort to go back and review EVERY chapter on here! Thanks so much! I don't really mind whether or not I get reviews, but you are so sweet for doing that! This chapter is for you, honey! :)**

_3 months later_

Jared

I'm sitting next to my girlfriend in the Hospital once again, trying not to think about the fact that I seem to be hanging out at the Hospital lately, more than, say, at Home.

Isa can't stop jiggling her knee up and down, biting her lip. Surrounding us are her brothers, her cousins, her friends, her aunties and uncles, her second aunties and uncles, twice removed, her great aunties, and uncles, her Grandmother, and more. It's like a Mexican-Anglo party over here, and I can tell the Nurse opposite us does not appreciate, but it's not like anyone gives a shit.

It's actually amusing. In a freaky way. Especially for someone like me, who only has a few scattered family members.

Talking of family, I feel Rachel hold on top my hand. She's sitting on my other side, next to her daughter and husband, and Sam who's on his DS, obviously very bored. Ever since Chrys went to jail, Mom's disappeared, and I've officially moved in with Rachel, who was so happy, she was almost in tears, which was a shock, since Rachel hardly ever cries. She's alot like me in that department, and we've always been similar.

Well, not so much anymore, considering that she's now pregnant with her second child, whom I've taken to calling The Foetus Of Doom. In a totally affectionate way.

"She'll be fine." I whisper to my girlfriend, breaking her silence. Notice how I say her silence, and not anyone else's. Fuck, but Mexicans can _talk._

She clutches my hand, and leans onto my shoulder. I get a couple of warning looks from her brothers, who still aren't comfortable with me being with their sister, but Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber can try to keep me away from her all they fucking like. It's not like they'll ever succeed.

And when Isa and I go to college, me, to the University of arts and literature, and her, to Purdue to study Mathematics, no one will stop me from taking her away every weekend, and sweeping her off her feet.

I'm grinning at the thought.

A nurse comes out of the ward, a smile is on her face, although it wavers when she sees the size of the group we make . "Mrs. Fuentes has given birth to a healthy baby girl. 5lbs. You can come in twos and threes, If you'd like."

Isa gets up, immediately, clutching my hand, and runs into the ward, ignoring the protests of her family members, in rapid Spanish. I chuckle, as she bites her lips nervously, and enters the ward, to see her Mom, lying on the Hospital bed, holding a tiny baby, and her Dad watching them both, eyes wide, and weary, but filled with love.

"Isa, Jared." Mrs. Fuentes says, and she looks so tired, but so happy at the same time. "Say hello to Miss Shelley Fuentes."


End file.
